Robert Wilson and Richard Gluckman were selected by The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust's Public Art Advisory Committee in September 1996 to lead the development of a plan for a comprehensive series of public art projects in the Cultural District. Drawing upon Mr. Gluckman's architectural experience in designing art installations and Mr. Wilson's critically acclaimed set, sound, lighting design and performing arts production experience, their decision was to utilize light as a poetic medium, defining the Cultural District in space and time.

The creative process for the lighting projects began with a workshop at Robert Wilson's studio in Watermill, New York, to which The Cultural Trust and the Gluckman/Wilson team invited faculty and students from Carnegie Mellon University and Chatam College. Out of the workshop grew a framework for development of the lighting projects.

"LIGHTWALL"

The first of the Cultural District lighting projects completed, "Lightwall" uses the Mahla Building at 713 Penn Avenue as the canvas for the 140 feet x 140 feet area of projected light.

Composed of a sequence of single horizontal bands of light moving in a field of colored light, the projection occurs from the roof of the nearby Pittsburgh Opera building.

The bands have a slow and continuous movement from top to bottom and describe the passage of time through a sequence of positions and colors.

"SIGN OF LIGHT"

"Sign of Light" is a 20 feet by 40 feet electronic sign composed of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) projecting a white triangle floating on a blue-gray background. Visible from the North Side and PNC Ballpark, "Sign of Light" is located atop Penn Avenue Place facing the Allegheny River.