Baken II

Baken II was originally commissioned by NDSM Docklands during ADE 2020 and especially redesigned and produced to reside on the ADAM tower during Amsterdam Dance Event 2021

A beacon is an intentionally conspicuous device designed to attract attention to a specific location, used to guide sailors and travellers, navigate planes & to enable calls for help. The oldest known beacons were big fires on hills along the coast, warning for steep and dangerous cliffs along the shoreline. One of the most famous examples is the lighthouse of Alexandria built 280 v.C. on the island of Pharos. This lighthouse was active for almost 1500 years ensuring safe passage of ships along the coast of Egypt.

As lighthouses and other beacons help to navigate, attract attention and guide lost travellers, artist Boris Acket, creative producer Chris van Meer & light artists/coders Lumus Instruments decided to rebuild their beacon for Amsterdam Dance Event 2021: first a calming lantern on the horizon, BAKEN now resides in the middle of the city showing the electronic music scene is back again. The work was designed to communicate a sign of life, a sense of direction, of presence.