'RADIANT INTROVERT' draws its inspiration from a local Newhaven youth group, where I facilitated a transformative workshop. Encouraging students to create their 'nighttime alter egos' using UV paints, we delved into their nuanced relationship with the night. Through discussions, their conflicting emotions surfaced, mirroring their varying degrees of confidence and shyness during the creative process.
This sculpture, a product of these reflections, aims to encapsulate the duality inherent in their feelings towards the night. Utilizing light as a medium, it celebrates the allure and opportunities of the night while leaving the subject open to interpretation. Are they playing, or hiding?
The project prompts contemplation on the broader impact of art on our collective urban experience after dark. As shutters are pulled down and lights turned off, what environment are we creating for nighttime users of public space? And can we use art to make the public realm feel more inviting after dark?
