Take a winter evening stroll down the Brown Promenade along the southern side of Discovery Green and take in the lights and glowing orbs of the annual holiday art installation Lens – Pluralism – Bubbles by David Graeve.
A winter and holiday staple since Discovery Green’s 2008 opening, David Graeve’s stunningly satisfying and profoundly peaceful installation consistently draws visitors like moths to a flame.
Suspended from the branches of the massive live oaks that flank the Brown Promenade, abbreviated from its full name the Brown Foundation Promenade, the inflated globes all feature photography of a diverse array of people. Lit from within by energy-efficient fluorescent lights, the globes cast a soft, warm glow over the promenade below. The light colors within slowly change, so the exact lighting patterns and colors will vary depending on the time and day one visits.
Behind the orbs themselves, the live oaks are painted with a vivid green light, serving to further set the scene. However, the green lights are turned off for 30 minutes twice each evening, at 8pm and 10:30pm, so that viewers can enjoy the changes colors of the globes themselves.
Taken together, the trees and the globes paint a beautiful and serene scene that one can walk through to enjoy what is often referred to as the “Discovery Green Christmas Lighting.” But viewed individually, one can see that each globe or “bubble” is unique, depicting its own story, history and face. It’s the collection of these individuals that makes the sum of the experience so satisfying.
Lens – Pluralism – Bubbles at Discovery Green
- Exhibition Period: Saturday, November 23, 2013 through Sunday, February 2, 2014
- Times: The lights go on at dusk. The green lighting background lighting on the trees will be turned off nightly from 8pm to 8:30pm and 10:30pm to 11pm to allow visitors to admire the changing lights of the globes themselves.
- Location: Brown Promenade, Discovery Green, Houston, TX 77006
- Creator: David Graeve
Photo credit: 365 Things to Do in Houston
