©Stad Gent - Dienst Toerisme
Written on 15/02/2025 by
The Ghent Illuminated Walk includes a few ‘rarities’. And we're not talking about buildings, streets or monumental squares, but no fewer than three beautiful works of light art: Maeterlinck's Blue Birds, the birth lantern Ai Nati Oggi and Palimpsest in Gentbrugge. Extraordinary light creations that are not only atmospheric, but whose light also has a story to tell.
Every three years since 2011, the city of Ghent has organised the Light Festival: a grand spectacle, in which light artists from all over the world showcase their extraordinary creations to the general public. Some of these works felt so good in Ghent that they were given a permanent home there. Two works of light art on the basic route of the Illuminated Walk are Maeterlinck's Blue Birds and the work Ai Nati Oggi. And in Gentbrugge, you'll also find Palimpsest: light art with words.
A view of light that's worthy of a Nobel Prize
Standing on the Ajuinbrug bridge at dusk, you can't miss them: the enchanting blue birds in the trees above the water. The artwork ‘Les oiseaux de Mr. Maeterlinck’ was the highlight of the 2012 Light Festival and fits in so well here that the city purchased the work. The French design studio Pitaya drew inspiration from ‘L’Oiseau Bleu’ by the Ghent-born Nobel laureate Maurice Maeterlinck. The view of Korenlei and Graslei and the reflection in the water lend the luminous birds an even more magical dimension.
Welcome to Ghent!
If you're not familiar with it, you'll likely walk right past this particular work of art. On Sint-Veerleplein square stands ‘Ai Nati Oggi’, a subtle work of light art by the Italian Alberto Garutti. The artwork came to Ghent during the Over the Edges exhibition in 2000.
The name of the work means ‘Those born today’, and that strapline has got the meaning totally covered. The three lanterns are actually connected to the delivery rooms of Ghent's hospitals. As soon as a baby is born there, the parents can press a button. What happens then is that the three lanterns on Sint-Veerleplein square very briefly give out a little more light, to symbolically welcome the new citizen of Ghent.
“Do you sometimes go out for a drink in the evening on Sint-Veerleplein square? If so, be sure to keep an eye on the lanterns. Maybe you too will witness the birth of one of Ghent's newest citizens."
But how can we actually be sure it that works? Honestly, we asked ourselves that question, too. So we tested it out. A colleague of mine kept watch on Sint-Veerleplein square and telephoned the Maternity department at one of Ghent's hospitals. The question was, could they just give a press on the button? That was how we successfully managed to capture the flickering of the lanterns on video. We can therefore be sure that everything is still working. So anyone enjoying an evening drink on Sint-Veerleplein square had better keep an eye on the artwork. Perhaps a new child of Ghent is about to be born.
Write and keep writing
Meanwhile, the sub-municipality of Gentbrugge also has its own work of light art. On the site of the De Porre neighbourhood park, you can see the work Palimpsest on top of the cooling tower at night. A Palimpsest is a rewritable piece of parchment – and that is precisely what the artwork does: write and rewrite. An initial small ring on the inside of the tower displays a series of letters and a search engine then uses them to form random words. A second, larger ring on top of the cooling tower highlights the words found.
Fancy even more art on your walk? Every first Thursday of the month, Ghent's museums stay open until 10pm!
Lieve Staes
Lieve Staes handles the communication of complex spatial projects at the Project Office for Space of the City of Ghent. Her favourite subjects are the Light Plan and water. Professionally, she shares all the details through the website and walks, among other things. But even in her spare time, she can't resist taking family and friends around fairy-tale Ghent at dusk.
