Humans are attracted to light. It’s part of our design. The gigantic great ball of light in the sky warms the earth and allows life to flourish. When the sky goes dark, we wield the power of fire to bring warmth, to bring light, to our world. Light = Life. Harness the power of light, and you have the ability to brighten the world, both for yourself and others.
During the past few years, LED technology has reduced in price and become readily available through online stores like Amazon and Ebay. Combine this with Arduino, the maker movement, and smaller/more efficient batteries, designers and artists can now create mobile/wearable light-based art projects. Pair these designers with performance art, and you have the makings of a spectacle.
I create LED wearable technology and performance-ready creations. They’re shockingly effective at drawing attention. Normally, when people go to a club or to a large EDM event, they’re not focused on the performers. Performers become ambient beings in these settings, with the main focus being on the DJ. LEDs change that. You stick a LED rig on a performer and the audience’s eyes are automatically drawn to the moving lights….
Then the magic happens. The audience starts to watch the performance behind the lights. If you have a truly great performer behind those lights, you have the ability to create a memorable, even inspirational, moment for those watching.
And you don’t have to be a performer to create a memorable moment. Just wearing an LED piece causes you to stand out in the dark. Anyone you interact with will initially notice (and probably remember) you for the lights you’re wearing. The next time they see a LED creation, you automatically pop into their mind.
One of my Limitless Reflection creations (currently up on Etsy at: https://www.etsy.com/listing/188735091/made-to-order-wire-frame-10-led-gauntlet?ref=shop_home_active_3) is an LED gauntlet. It’s a wire frame modular piece that wraps around your arm and can fit over clothing and costume pieces. The ‘modular’ part of it comes from the fact that it can be paired with other LED pieces to create a full LED costume. It runs off a 9v battery and can handle up to 12v for full brightness.
Recently, I have moved to Las Vegas where I have had the opportunity to interact with other LED costume designers. Combining my costuming techniques and new LED design methods, I can now sew LED strips onto clothing and costume pieces without compromising the LED strip. My LED wearable designs are durable enough that I feel confident providing them to performers in a more professional setting.
Being a performer, I’ve had the opportunity to test some of these pieces out at festivals like Burning Man, Apogaea, EDC New York, EDC Las Vegas, Freak Night, and other nightlife events, and am happy to report that they have held up wonderfully under performance conditions. The reactions that people have to them are awesome and they’re unique enough to draw tons of positive attention. I’m looking forward to creating some new pieces for Burning Man 2015, EDC Las Vegas 2015, and many other nightlife events and festivals to come.
Check back on Limitless Reflection often to see new posts on Las Vegas Performers, Los Angeles performances, EDM nightlife events, nightlife costuming, and more. Follow Limitless Reflection on Instagram at @Limitless_Reflection. Check out the Limitless Reflection Etsy store at https://www.etsy.com/shop/limitlessreflection.