“Composing Nocturnal Lightscapes. Lighting Installations at Saint Matthew forest in Chania, Crete"

Panos Katramadakis

Title_“Composing Nocturnal Lightscapes.

Lighting Installations at Saint Matthew forest in Chania, Crete, Greece.”

When_ September 2017 Duration_ Four months What_ A Short Film Software_Adobe Premieure, CNC The Concept_ I am interested in exploring the relation

between Lighting and Nature. The pluralism and complexity of Nature work for me like a canvas where I can play and create with light. My Diploma Thesis Project, entitled “Composing Nocturnal LightScapes. Lighting Installations at Saint Matthew forest in Chania (Crete)” focused on this matter producing an overall sensory experience through the use of Light accompanied by sound. A narration, a story is unfolded via the Lighting Installations.

SHORT FILM_ https://vimeo.com/334143248

MAKING OF_ https://vimeo.com/334440876

Panos Katramadakis

Panos Katramadakis

Diploma Thesis Project

Diploma Thesis Project

Diploma Thesis Project

The Location The Saint Matthew forest is located in a suburban area, 10 minutes driving distance from the city center of Chania, which is called Akrotiri. It is a sparsely populated area where mainly residencies are situated.

1 The CampFire The meaning of the campfire, as a meeting point, the gathering around the campfire. Since the Ancient years people were gathering around the campfire, in order to get warm, to protect themselves from the wild animals and from darkness, to cook and to socialize. The campfire is the first symbol of shelter. This Light Installation opens the short film and signals the beggining of the course in the Dense Forest.

2 The Burning Forest The trees are burning. The fire has already started burning down the DENSE FOREST. Fire constitutes the symbol of this path, while being one of nature’s basic elements.

3 The Magical Triangle The Magical Triangle is suspended, highlighting the almost triangular opening that is formed from the vegetation, located on the side of the basic path.

This Lighting Installation has a specific dynamic due to its geometry and to its impulsive intervention in the DENSE FOREST.

4 The Fire Wreath The Fire Wreath is located on the side of the main path, emphasizing the circular opening shaped by the tree trunks. It is pendulant over the naturally formulated opening. Its circular geometry indicates the continious flow of obstacles and barriers in the rest of the path.

5 The Imprint The Imprint of the fallen tree that used to stand right at this point. This Installation follows and highlights the geometry of the trunk of the fallen tree. As it is laying towards the ground, it has left its imprint to the DENSE FOREST of Saint Matthew.

6 Decomposition The Decomposition of a fallen tree. The tree has finally touched the ground and its Decomposition has already started. This Installation emphasizes the decay, the disintegration, the remaining pieces of the fallen tree, which is becoming part of the ground where it once came from.

7 The Monster - Sculpture The Monster - Sculpture is just the root of an uprooted tree along with soil, rocks and other petrifications. The Monster - Sculpture is one of the many dangers that are awaiting along the path of the DENSE FOREST. After the Imprint of the fallen tree and its Decomposition here comes the monsterous sculpture with its imposing presence in the forest .

8 The Bloody Valley The Bloody Valley constitutes of a rugged and rocky opening. This Installation lits with red color the rocky ground, indicating the difficulties that one is facing in the DENSE FOREST. The Bloody Valley consists one of the obstacles of the path in Saint Matthiew forest.

9 Laser - Landmark This Instalation comprises the Landmark of the path in the DENSE FOREST. It’s role is to indicate the way in the path where the walker seems to be disorientated and lost.

The Laser - Landmark has a strong presence in the forest due to it’s simple and strict geometry.

10 The Bright Obstacle This Installation makes the path in the DENSE FOREST even more inaccesible. As a barrier in between two tree trunks in the main path of the DENSE FOREST, it tries to intercept the walker’s course through the forest.

This Installation refers to the spider web. One more obstacle - dificulty is added to the path of the DENSE FOREST. This time, the obstacle is not bright and thus not visible from far away, where it could also be weaved anywhere in the forest.

Diploma Thesis Project

11 The Obstacle - Spider Web

12 Totem - Sculpture At the end of the path, the Monster - Sculpture is finally transformed to the Totem - Sculpture. It is not yet dangerous and agressive and it changes hue. Each different hue refers to another element of the nature (fire, water, air), implying the presence of three different paths in the forest (Dense forest, the Ascend, Bright forest).

This installation closes the short film, implying it’s continuation with the upcoming two paths.

Making Of

Panos Katramadakis

The making of this short film. Taking the equipment into the forest. Setting and testing the lights, trying to produce the desirable atmosphere. Position the light sources, filter the light, and set the camera to start testing the framing and the shots before the final shooting of the film.