BEAUTIFUL FRIENDSHIP MAKES BEAUTIFUL ART

KRISTOFFER ABILDGAARD & SEAN LENZ

It takes two to turn waterfalls into rainbows… and to turn derelict buildings into color-drenched fantasy lands. Artists Sean Lenz and Kristoffer Abildgaard work together to produce this alchemy.

Lenz and Abildgaard produce astonishing light art installations, images, and experiences. Their studio, From the Lenz, is home base.

Two of the series produced by the pair that we fell in love with use lit objects, including high-powered Cyalume glow sticks, lasers, road flares, headlamps, and the moon itself. The duo designs and stages light effects in carefully selected settings.

The team then photographs each of the scenes, using long exposures, ranging from 30 seconds to 7 minutes.

Their Neon Luminescence series transfixes us, as waterfalls in Northern California are transformed into psychedelic kinetic sculptures, with color melting and flowing in the moonlight.

Don’t worry about the pollution possibility. The team collects all of the glow sticks and other objects after the shoot is over, leaving nothing behind to hurt the beautiful settings.

Their Forgotten Luminance series colorizes neglected urban and rural interior and exterior landscapes.

Lenz specializes in fine arts landscapes, while Abilgaard has a background in portraits. They originally met in San Francisco. They soon found that by working as a duo, they could produce a greater creative vision. And, together, they are able to physically manage it all.

For the light works, there is a lot of equipment to carry, often over rugged terrain, in remote isolated locations. And, one person has to throw the glow sticks into the waterfall, for example, while the other takes the photo.

For Lenz and Abildgaard, working together is a lot more fun than working alone.

From the Lenz also produces some cool videos. Check out this sweet short, with a skateboarder rolling through a beautiful autumn landscape, carpeted with gorgeous red and yellow fallen leaves. Great music too!

Read more about Beautiful Friendships, as it relates to Arts/Design, Nature/Science, Food/Drink, Place/Time, Mind/Body, and Soul/Impact, including We Are Moved by Beautiful Encounters, An Animal Friend in Need is a Beautiful Friend Indeed and Breaking Beautiful Bread Together.

Enter your own images and ideas about Beautiful Friendships in this week’s creative Photo Competition. Open for entries now until 11:59 p.m. PT on 11.23.2014. If you are reading this after that date, check out the current BN Creative Competition, and enter!