Ben Davis is lighting up Market Street for Pride

SHACK15 recently spoke with Ben Davis, the Founder and Chief Visionary Officer of the art nonprofit Illuminate, the group behind many of San Francisco's most beloved large-scale works of public art, including The Bay Lights, the Summer of Love lighting on the Conservatory of Flower, the Golden Mile activation of JFK Promenade, the revival of the Golden Gate Bandshell, where Illuminate host more than 100 live free concerts annually, Grace Light at Grace Cathedral, and more. We spoke to him about his upcoming seasonal project WELCOME, which will once again illuminate all of Market Street from the Ferry Building to Twin Peaks with a rainbow laser sequence, to honor Pride Month.

SHACK15: Can you tell us how you came up with the idea for the giant rainbow laser beam that generated a lot of attention at last year's SF Pride celebration? What was the process for installing it?

Ben Davis: Illuminate first worked lasers in December 2021, transforming the Music Concourse in Golden Gate Park as part of our monthlong celebration of Poetry & Light. It's a fascinating technology, and we got along exceptionally well with Tim Anderson, founder of Nusalt Laser International. In May of last year, as part of a fluid brainstorming session, one of many projects we dreamed up for San Francisco was the idea of celebrating the history of our City, including Gilbert Baker's creation of the Pride Flag, by shooting giant beams of colored laser light down the canyon of Market Street, over the Castro, and just clearing the top of Twin Peaks during Pride Weekend. Tim secured FAA permission at the start of June, and in less than a month's time, we launched WELCOME. 

SHACK15: What are your plans for this year? Will a similar installation take place?

Davis: This year we plan to light WELCOME again, this time with double the number of lasers. We'll set up in front of the Ferry Building and be live starting at about 9:30 pm on June 23, 24, and 25. 

SHACK15: You also created the large pink triangle, a symbol of the LGBTQ+ community, at the top of Twin Peaks, that is visible from the Castro and many other neighborhoods. Is that set to be illuminated this year?

Davis: Patrick Carney, the founder of The Pink Triangle, is returning to his quarter-century tradition of making the triangle from canvas this year. It will not be illuminated for 2023. 

SHACK15: Any other public art projects that you're working on for Pride month?  When can we see each of these displays?

Davis: We're working on many projects, including a concept for a series of laser installations called Summer of Awe. People can visit Illuminate.org to stay current.