like a moth to a flame

I’ve just realised that I have a burgeoning obsession that has crept up on me over the last few years and is reaching a bit of a peak (writes Bess).

Like a moth to a flame, I’ve become very attracted to light. From an innocuous and widespread start - a string of fairy lights that didn’t come down after Christmas one year - this has grown to a pretty serious 20m rope light strand currently framing the whole of the biggest wall in my flat, star lights strung across a fireplace grate, plain lights in a glass vase by the window (nice reflection when its dark outside). I often actively miss the oversized paper shades we had in my last flat; they were Ikea’s cheapest offer (since discontinued I think) but were absolutely huge and glowed like a full moon.

But my flat only has so many plug sockets, so I’ve taken to admiring light sources from afar. Most recently this has included the string of lights covering the entire windows of a local pub (so enticing!), the bulbs jauntily crisscrossing the street at Exmouth Market, the magical set of Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella, lights in other people’s living rooms, spied from the street, and Chinese lanterns spotted floating into the starlit sky on New Year’s Eve.

And now I’ve started finding out about light installation artists (see above, Nathan Coley, Stefan Brüggemann & Bruce Munro), and sourcing sign makers. My dream is to have a word or phrase (as yet undecided) spelt out in bright white lights on my wall, and there’s plenty of inspiration around. I just need to save up a lot of money and find another plug socket… and try not to think about the resulting electricity bill.