Gestures of Light, Traces of Self
[Lightpaint] is an interactive installation that invites you to step into the act of image-making — not as a subject, but as an author.
In a darkened space, you hold a light in your hand. As you move, the camera captures your gestures through a long-exposure process. The result is an animated portrait: luminous, layered, ephemeral.
You can try again. Erase. Shift. Begin differently. There’s no pressure to get it right. The process encourages improvisation, play, and curiosity — especially for those who don’t usually see themselves as “creative.”
At the end, you leave with a trace: a short animated video and a still image, both shaped entirely by your movement. Something quiet and strange. Something yours.
[Lightpaint] is part of the larger vision of [Temple Playgrounds] (see more info here), a living playground of immersive experiences designed to spark connection and personal
You are the Creator of your Reality
For those who wish to go deeper, [Lightpaint] can also be experienced as a reflective and embodied process — a space to step toward the self you’re becoming.
It begins with a question:
What is it you long for?
Not in theory, but in your body, now.
From there, you’re invited to move as if that longing were already present. To let the body remember — and reveal — the state it’s reaching toward.
The installation becomes a stage, not of performance, but of presence. The light becomes an extension of intention. The image becomes a small anchor: not of who you are, but of what you’re opening to.
Some participants describe this version as meditative, empowering, even transformative. Others say little, and simply keep the image close.
Impact
[Lightpaint] opens a space — gentle, intuitive, and open-ended.
For some, it’s simply an exploration: a chance to move, to try something new, to make an image that feels unfamiliar and alive.
For others, it becomes a point of contact — with emotion, identity, or memory.
Participants have spoken of:
- Reclaiming agency over how they are seen
- Exploring facets of themselves not easily expressed in words
- Letting go of self-consciousness and rediscovering a sense of play
- Feeling visible in ways they hadn’t expected
The images themselves — layered, half-formed, luminous — speak to the fluidity of presence. What is captured is not fixed, but unfolding.
How It Works
- Real-Time Creation: A custom application captures gestures using long-exposure techniques inspired by analog photography.
- Light as Brush: A wireless controller and light source allows participants to “paint” in space, with precise control and full freedom to explore.
- Undo / Iterate: The process is non-linear — you can revise, add, or start again.
- Artifacts: Participants receive both a still image and an animated video via QR code.
- Facilitation: Can be guided or self-directed, depending on context and intention.
- Installation: Adaptable to many formats — intimate, public, or performative.
Contexts for Presentation
[Lightpaint] has taken shape in festivals, public installations, and more intimate, ritual-based settings.
It can serve as a point of entry — light and playful — or deepen into a more contemplative practice, depending on how it’s held.
This work resonates in spaces that explore:
- Creative risk-taking
- Identity and image
- Embodiment and memory
- Collective presence
It can also be part of a broader constellation of interactive pieces, such as those within [Temple Playgrounds].
[Lightpaint] integrated with dia de Muertos Offering at Conseil de Arts de Montreal
How the experience feels like?
“My experience was that I was able to express myself and see the results as process went. I felt excited and in awe of the process and results.”
— S.
“I experienced it as something magical — very different from traditional photography. There’s movement, shadow, light, and above all, agency. I wasn’t just being captured. I was building something of myself.”
— N.
“At first I thought it was just about aesthetics. But then I realized I was making a version of myself I hadn’t seen in a long time.”
— J.
“There’s something powerful about watching your own gesture turn into light. I felt proud of the image — like it reflected not just what I look like, but how I feel inside.”
— N.
“This experience helped me reclaim how I relate to my image. For someone who struggles with visibility, with identity… this was quiet, but deeply symbolic.”
— E.
Play with us
[Lightpaint] is part of the larger vision of [Temple Playgrounds] (see more info here), a living playground of immersive experiences designed to spark connection and personal transformation—through play, art, and adaptive technology.
The capture process
Live Canvas
This is what is currently imprinted in the film, which will eventually become the final picture.
Creator view
This is the creator view, that allows them to play precisely on their creation and try ideas, until the creation feels just right. We are using a particularly long creation as an example to better illustrate the process.
Finished picture
