These included a spectacular rooftop installation on the main administrative building comprising 16 x Robe iBOLTS.

Pino was commissioned to create the works by Stefano Bronzini, the University’s Dean, and the lighting fixtures were from Lucidiscena’s rental stock. With almost 40,000 students, the University of Bari offers different degree courses, ranging from literature and philosophy to physics and the life sciences.

The two lighting installations were very different. For the main building in Palazzo Ateneo, which is also the University’s faculty of literature and philosophy, Pino wanted to make a BIG impact, and the iBOLTS, which he had purchased the previous summer … were the perfect instrument to achieve this.

The impressive neoclassical style building is 140 metres long and Pino spaced the 16 iBOLTS along this equidistantly. They were focused in one position on maximum power in white – representing the purity and strength of education and learning – the direction carefully calculated not to interfere with aircraft and other flying objects.

The piercing beams lit up the night sky like giant crisp rays creating an aura of elegance and refinement.

“I deliberately wanted a structural look to complement the building,” explained Pino … sometimes simplicity speaks the loudest!”

In front of the building is a big square opening out into a large park and garden area so positioned on the roof, iBOLTS were clearly visible from across this area, and the optimal viewing position was the middle of the square.

Palazzo Ateneo is a popular place with locals, and also adjacent to one of Bari’s main commercial streets and a major thoroughfare to the city’s train station. With a lot of general footfall, passers-by could appreciate the iBOLT installation first hand which quickly grabbed attention, becoming an epicentre of local SoMe chatter as people enthusiastically Instagrammed themselves with the ‘roof’ of iBOLTS in the background.

“Everyone in the city knew what was going on and about the centenary thanks to these amazing iBOLT beams,” Pino noted.

The beams also became a temporary meeting place for the duration and were visible for great distances along the south coast on clearer nights, with the furthest reported sighting being 45 kilometres, which is pretty impressive!

During the focusing session the day before the installation opened, some even thought it was an alien invasion! “There is nothing like a bit of conjecture to build up the anticipation,” commented Pino with a smile.

The light art pieces – the other one involved the back side of the building – stayed live for 10 days – one day for each decade of the hundred years celebration.

Pino loves his iBOLTS which have also recently been used in San Remo for a project aboard a ship involving 60 iBOLTS, and he is confident they will be busy again this year!

Photo Credits: Pino Loconsole, Romualdo Pecorella