Market Place & Saddler Street
A fun filter on an everyday light source
Mike Donaghy’s artwork is inspired by a holiday he took to Akureyri, a small city in Northern Iceland, where he noticed that some of the traffic lights had heart-shaped stop signs. In 2008 the global financial crash seriously impacted the people of Akureyri and in a bid to lift their spirits, Visit Akureyri sprinkled hearts all over the city: in red traffic lights, in shop windows and even a beating football field-sized heart on the side of the Vaðlaheiði mountain range. This idea of installing light art in unexpected places around the city with the simple aim of sparking joy reminded Mike of his own experience as a Lumiere Durham visitor. A Different View brings a touch of magic to the Market Place traffic lights.
About Mike Donaghy
Mike Donaghy is a Durham County Council employee. He is a first time artist and one of the winners of this year’s BRILLIANT commissioning competition which invites anyone originally from or currently living in the North East to submit a bright idea for a Lumiere light installation.
Accessibility information
Artwork description: Static artwork using traffic lights.
PLEASE NOTE: While you are welcome to photograph this installations for personal use, please note that the artist retains all imagery rights. Commercial use of installation photography and film is strictly prohibited.
“If I can do it, I’m sure there are lots of other artists out there waiting to be discovered.”
Mike Donaghy