Blink kicked off Thursday night, giving Greater Cincinnatians a chance to see the region in a whole new light.
The art, light and projection mapping festival brought a kaleidoscope of colors to more than 25 blocks across Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.
The Enquirer's Haadiza Ogwude, Kaycee Sloan and Jolene Almendarez trekked through all five Blink zones, from Findlay Market to Covington, taking in as many sights and sounds as possible on opening night.
With more than 80 installations by local and international artists, it's impossible to see everything Blink has to offerin a single night. Fortunately, the festival continues through Sunday, giving visitors plenty of time to explore.
Here are some of our favorite installations to check out if you're
planning a visit to Blink this weekend.
'Dreamscape' by Lindsay Glatz and William Nemitoff
Zone: The Banks.
This was my first time at Blink Cincinnati, and as a fellow art lover, it didn't disappoint. One of my favorite installations of the night was "Dreamscape," which is comprised of two individual works by Lindsay Glatz and William Nemitoff.
The main spectacle, designed by Neitmoff of Curious Form, is the "Dream Slide," a gigantic, colorful, magical kaleidoscope-looking unicorn that doubles as a slide. The unicorn is illuminated by 3D "Cloud Swings," designed by Glatz, who often draws "on themes of childhood and nostalgia to explore human connection," according to Blink's website, which is exactly what I felt while admiring and interacting with the piece.
As large crowds of children and their parents gathered around the installation, I was reminded of my childhood days obsessing over "My Little Pony," and, of course, my beloved pink stuffed unicorn that I proudly called "Uni" (very original). I'm also a huge sucker for any view of the Roebling Bridge, and somehow this installation elevated it. - Kaycee Sloan, trending news reporter.
'Psychedelic Car Wash' by Radius Concepts
Zone: Fountain Square.
It was a long walk from The Banks to "Psychedelic Car Wash" in the Fountain Zone, but it was worth it. The vibrant and fun blacklight car wash-themed installation was designed by Radius Concepts, a design and fabrication studio specializing in furniture, sculpture, and architectural components for commercial and residential spaces.
The installation was set up like an actual car wash. As festivalgoers entered, they were immediately greeted with a sign that read, "SUDS. Foam Sweet Foam" and large milky white bubbles that, when popped, dissolved into mist.
Moving forward, you'd push through Radius Concepts' take on "mitter curtains," like long, flappy cloth strips. Along the sides were spinning brushes like the large ones you'd typically see while getting your car cleaned.
A detail I enjoyed was the blacklight signs guiding you through the installation, letting you know which stage of the "car wash" you were in. It heavily reminded me of the art you'd see at Otherworld, the immersive art experince in Columbus. - Kaycee Sloan, trending news reporter.
'Music Hall Experience' by Brett Bolton, Jonas Denzel, Silent Partners Studio and Strangeloop
Zone: Over-the-Rhine.
The Blink organizers told The Enquirerthat festivalgoers should make the live activation at Music Hall a priority, and they were right. Like past iterations, the "Music Hall Experience" was a highlight of the Over-the-Rhine zone, transforming the historic building into a cacophony of light and sound.
This year, audiovisual artist Brett Bolton of Las Vegas presented a live drumming, projection-mapping and light-mapping performance created in collaboration with fellow artist Jonas Denzel, art collective Silent Partners Studio and production company Strangeloop. The audiovisual spectacle, which honors America's 250th anniversary, was far from the patriotic tribute I expected. Instead, it reimagined the 148-year-old building as a technicolor vision of the future. - Haadiza Ogwude, trending news reporter.
'Light Ship' by Lawrence Malott-Forealism
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Zone: Findlay Market.
While browsing the food vendors at Findlay Market, I heard house music pulsing in the distance. Following the beat, I stumbled upon a neon-green prism with LED screens blasting club classics (shout-out to Charli XCX).
I found myself transfixed by the installation, created by father-son creative duo Lawrence and Thomas Malott. According to theBlink website, "Light Ship" uses recycled materials to create an "immersive" and "otherworldly experience" that blends DJing, costume design, performance art, music and visual installations.
If you're looking for a dance break while exploring Blink, make your way to the party on Elder Street.- Haadiza Ogwude, trending news reporter.
'Mother of God Church Experience' by Jérémie Bellot, Jérémy Oury, Leslie Epsztein
Zone: Covington.
Mother of God Roman Catholic Church is back in the Blink lineup this year after people missed the stop at the historic church in 2024, organizers said.
On the first night of Blink, dozens of people gathered in front of the church to enjoy the work by three French artists as the pieces were projected onto the church and its two 200-foot clock towers.
While other fun pieces brought murals to life throughout the city's urban core, the Mutter Gottes piece stands out. That's, in part, because of the massive size of the art installation and the lights' stunning contrast against historic architecture.
It's worth trekking the extra block or two off the beaten path to find this gem. And the rooftop view of the site from Second Story bar is spectacular. -Jolene Almendarez, Northern Kentucky Reporter
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Our 5 favorite installations from night 1 of Blink Cincinnati
