Berwick-upon-Tweed is just South of the Scottish border, and it’s a town full of history, with historic walls surrounding it and a history of being contested between Scotland and England. It was also the inspiration for several of LS Lowry’s paintings.
Yet if you visit the town after dark this month, you may think aliens are whizzing above it or that many people are trying to summon Batman at the same time.
The Litany for the Border is a light and sound work by artists Gareth Hudson and Toby Thirling, with music composed by Eleanor Cully Boehringer. It was commissioned by Berwick Shines and produced by The (Maltings) Berwick Trust.
Three sets of lights from around Berwick-upon-Tweed light up the sky, accompanied by a soundtrack that’s played at each site, or that you can listen to through headphones if you’re watching from a distance.
If it’s a clear night, the beams project ever higher until they peter out, but on a cloudy day, like when I visited, they light up the undersides of the clouds. Rain can cause them to dissipate, and they will look different every day, depending on the weather.
On a clear evening, all three beams can be seen at once as they dance across the sky. Two beam out from the historic sites of the barracks and the infirmary, and it’s beautiful and eerie to see them light up the darkness.
While the third is a complete contrast, as it sits atop the Berwick Leisure Centre, against the building’s green signage, above people hitting the treadmill, as children turn up for their karate class and enter the centre. It’s interesting to watch how many stop up to look at the lights, possibly because I’m looking at them.
The soundtrack was created in collaboration with local choirs and, when combined with the lights, creates a spiritual experience. With it being visible from miles away, it’s hopeful that people from neighbouring areas will be drawn to the lights like insects to a light source.
This was my first visit to Berwick-upon-Tweed, and here’s to hoping these installations encourage other new visitors to a town that’s well worth visiting.
The Litany for the Border is on in Berwick-upon-Tweed every evening from 5.30PM-8.30PM. It’s free to view.
