The Light in Winter, a feast of light that signals the arrival of winter.


▲ The Light in Winter, the way they welcome winter (c) YOUNGMOK LEE
 


When winter begins to arrive, you can enjoy a beautiful feast of lights at Federation Square.

Feeling Melbourne's winter, I passed through Federation Square and saw the lights, signaling the start of winter.

This year, as always, Melbourne welcomes the winter with the Festival of Lights, marking the start of winter.

The Light in Winter featured a wide variety of attractions, including art, music, and performances using light.


 


▲ 'Leepeeyt Weeyn', reminiscent of the old days of surviving winter by sitting around embers (c) YOUNGMOK LEE


Artists from over 20 countries participated.

 

This event, held for the 8th time in 2014, was free to attend. Festivals featuring programs such as Campfire, Dusk, Handbells, Radiant Lines, and DIY Shrine could be enjoyed daily, along with more than twenty other programs.

 

We could also see campfires that the indigenous people said to enjoy themselves. 'Leepeeyt Weeyn,' the spark of a campfire that never went out from beginning to end, was truly impressive. Thinking back to the lives of the Indigenous people who survived the winter by sitting around this flame as we lived in the present was a time that brought back many memories.


 


▲ Many people gathering around embers to welcome winter (c) YOUNGMOK LEE


In addition, I was able to glimpse various aspects of Australian culture. The previously mentioned Handbells performance also delighted our ears, and we could see wooden sculptures such as Anachron, Melanesian, Macronesian, Polynesian, and Korean totems, all of which are handmade puppet works symbolizing the past, present, and future. Through these works, I was able to spend time reflecting on the differences between different times and cultures.

 


▲ Watching the bicycle-based performance, people capturing precious winter memories (c) YOUNGMOK LEE

 


▲ 'Cycles of Life', the shape of the structure that was the theme of this festival of light (c) YOUNGMOK LEE


‘Cycle’, ‘Cycles of Life’

 

Each year, the event is held under a different theme. This year's Festival of Light was themed 'Cycle' and 'Cycles of Life.' The life cycle literally refers to the processes that easily divide a person's life from birth to death, from childhood to old age.

 

In this world where countless people live, diverse lives and many events have occurred, and even now, these elements coexist together. These things are transformed into art through light. The most striking piece, 'The Radiant Line,' features a circular design designed so that light moves quickly to create lines, and many visitors could be seen spending time in this piece.

 


▲ 'Cycles of Life', the rapid movement of light creating a single line (c) YOUNGMOK LEE



▲ 'Cycles of Life', capturing precious moments with children on camera (c) YOUNGMOK LEE


Expressing the life we live through the cycle of life could have been a profound theme. However, many artists have reinterpreted these themes artistically to make them accessible to us in their works. Through this artistic interpretation, the message was well conveyed to visitors.

 

 


▲ Traditional Korean performances performed in front of 'General of the World' and 'General of the Ground' (c) YOUNGMOK LEE


'Great General of the World', 'General of the Underground Land'

 

In our culture, we could see the Great General Under Heaven and the Female General Under Ground. There are various legends, but in Korea, they are mainly placed along roadsides or village boundaries to mark the street, serve as guardian deities, and serve as objects of village worship to ward off misfortune. Like the Great General Under Heaven and the General Under Earth, they are usually paired with men and women and can still be found in person today.

 

Similarly, traditional totems from other cultures mentioned earlier are also said to be built to express people's wishes for a happy life. Although each totem was erected at different times, in appearance, and in shape, its meaning was similar. Through these totems, we have also seen that even today we live with things that hold similar meanings.

 

 


▲ Performance of traditional Korean samulnori      ⓒ YOUNGMOK LEE


Winter in Melbourne

 

Have you ever experienced a winter in Melbourne? Located in the southernmost part, Melbourne welcomes winter the second fastest after Tasmania. Winter in Melbourne is quite cold and the weather is not very pleasant, so many travelers also travel to other northern cities.

 

But seeing diverse cultures and arts come together, I became convinced that Melbourne's winter wouldn't be just cold. No matter how cold the winter is, Melbourne's unique atmosphere of hosting various performances and events is enough to keep attracting many visitors.