Overview
It has been more than three years since Bruce Munro's spectacular Field of Light started illuminating Uluru, with more than 450,000 people flocking to the Red Centre to see its ocean of colour over that time. In fantastic news for anyone who hasn't made the trek yet, or anyone keen to view its beautiful, multi-hued splendour again, the eye-catching installation's stay has been extended — and, while that's happened before, this time the gorgeous piece will keep shining indefinitely.
This is actually the third time that Field of Light's run has been lengthened. Initially set to remain in place until March 2017, it was first expanded until March this 2018, then until December 2020. Now, the artwork's 50,000 glass lights will twinkle across an area of 62,500 square metres — the size of nine football fields — without an end date.
To keep the installation beaming as brightly as possible, Field of Light has just undergone a $1 million refurbishment, overseen by Munro. As part of the process, each individual stem of light was replaced, as was the entire fibre optic cabling that connects the sea of frosted glass spheres.
Field of Light: Bruce Munro. Photo by Mark Pickthall.
As well as casting Australia's sacred rock in a whole new light, the Uluru display is the largest incarnation of Munro's project, which previously illuminated the grounds at the likes of London's Victoria & Albert Museum and the Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania. Run on solar power, and named Tili Wiru Tjuta Nyakutjaku — which translates to 'looking at lots of beautiful lights' in local Pitjantjatjara — for its Northern Territory stint, the installation took 40 people six weeks to set up.
Between late 2018 and early 2019, the artist also created an ANZAC-inspired version in Western Australia, called Field of Light: Avenue of Honour.
The British-born Munro, who first came up with the idea for Field of Light while visiting Uluru back in 1992, said in a statement that he is "truly honoured that the Field of Light will remain at Uluru". He continued, "the ancient landscape of the Red Centre continues to inspire my thoughts, feelings and ideas that shape my life and work."
Keen on making the trip? Check out out Weekender's Guide to the Red Centre During Field of Light.
Images: Field of Light: Bruce Munro. Photos by Mark Pickthall.