Psychedelic Lights Illuminate the Floor of a 13th-Century Castle Courtyard

French artist Miguel Chevalier can transform interior spaces like churches and castles into a kaleidoscope of colors. Magic Carpets 2014 is a recent installation that comes alive at night across the octagonal inner courtyard at the Castel del Monte, a 13th-century architectural beauty located in southeast Italy.

Inspired by the eight-sided structure, Chevalier developed a pattern of psychedelic, interactive lights that respond to the movements of visitors. Shapes and patterns swirl across the floor and, from overhead, the experience looks like a trippy blob of colors that morph together in unexpected formations, set to music by Jacopo Baboni Schilingi. "A pixelated or organic world, just like the symbolism of the octagonal form present here, the transition from the (square) earth to the (circular) sky is represented through Magic Carpets," describes the artist. "This artificial universe seems to rejoin that of life. Everything comes together, comes apart, and alters shape at top speed."

See Miguel's website for more installations like this and videos : http://www.miguel-chevalier.com/fr/index.html By Yvonne Littlewood