River of Light

Back-blipping from yesterday! 

It’s another medical appointment in Liverpool today - my first with a new consultant, this time an immunologist. My gastroenterologist has suggested I may have a specific rare genetic autoimmune disease, but she’s very sceptical. Still, after lots of questions there are several blood tests, and now it’s a case of waiting for results. I can’t deny that it’s frustrating; every time I feel we’re getting close to an answer, the door seems to close again….

Still, we’re in Liverpool and it’s the annual River of Light festival, so we have a meal then follow the trail. I’m still tired, but as usual, the opportunity to take photographs in a new situation is energising. 

Our first visit is to Evanescent, huge coloured bubbles which apparently ‘explore the fragility and temporary nature of the world around us’. Beautiful though the light sculpture is, it’s the location which I find fascinating. The bubbles are placed around the Lord Nelson Monument - something I’ve never noticed before - which has sculptures of four chained prisoners that represent captured sailors from Nelson’s four greatest triumphs. It’s a bizarre and somewhat uncomfortable sight, but makes more sense knowing that William Roscoe, the main funder who had a major influence on the design of the monument, was an anti-slavery campaigner, and the agony of the prisoners may well symbolise the suffering of slaves.

Other offerings include the firework-like Electric Dandelions sparkling in the darkness and reflecting in the water, and The Beam which provides a surreal suspended reflection of the Albert Dock. 

Despite the festival atmosphere, I’m glad to escape the crowds and get back to the car for the drive back home - too tired to sort my blip until the morning. 

With so much to see, inevitably it’s a River of Light set. After much deliberation I’ve decided to have one of the prisoners or slaves against the Evanescent installation as my main, with various other images as extras.