Monster!

By Christopher Harrisson

Monster! is a brand new commission for Light Up Lancaster. It’s a mischievous, interactive projection-mapping adventure from award-winning artist Christopher Harrisson, who says…

I have always been fascinated by monsters and outsiders: those who have been ostracised from society for what they are. While some behaviours may be worthy of this kind of punishment, how much of our treatment of these figures is informed less by their real actions, than by our fears of what they might be? This feels like an increasingly pressing question in our current era of political scapegoating and the dividing tactics of dangerous ideologues. 

From this serious starting point, I wanted to create something playful and fun. Rather than lecturing an audience on the dangers of division, I want people to engage with and empathise with these monsters through the universal language of play. The video feed doesn’t have much processing done to it – no AI or digital manipulation other than colour – because participants should recognise themselves in the windows of the Judges’ Lodgings, alongside these strange and wild creatures. We can all find similarities with others, however alien their appearance or behaviour. 

The piece is designed to be adaptable to most buildings with large windows, as too often projection mapping work is limited to a single building at a single festival or event. The frames can be assembled and disassembled easily and transported in a standard-size car. It is important to me that the piece can have a longer life than three days and be viewed in a variety of locations. Environmental sustainability is a factor in this (the structures only need to be made once for multiple future uses), but I’m also excited to see how different people in different places respond to it.

So join in, get silly, and unleash your monstrous side.