ILLUMINI PRESENTS CRYPT-MAS

Illumini guests left the following comments about Crypt-mas event.......

Wow best thing I have seen all year

A real winter wonderland with a difference

Illumini you create such unique interesting events

Opening night was like nothing I have seen before great performance and even real snow ha ha

That was great Thank You

Illumini is my best Christmas present ever its great can I stay forever

A unique and fascinating wonderland Excellent.

Illumini is so cool and thank Father Crypt-mas for my present, charles aged 8

Illumini you are on my Christmas card list for sure that was perfect

The best thing I have seen all year

So very different, great effort David Goss

A little bit of magic in the heart of London, thank you for the light !

Great Idea. Well done we enjoyed very much

An exhibition with art that is actually good, really liked the advent calendar, snow flake design and the christmas cracker . Thank You

Loved the Robots

This event was great I feel like a kid again playing with the interactive art work, have not had so much fun for so long

We loved it and so did the kids why cant more art events be like this. Illumini has created something so individual and really does create a event for everyone no matter what age.

Truly breathtaking

What an experience, something I will never forget

We all came from our xmas work party and had more fun here than at the party, we was in here ages, sorry but it was just so cool

Cant believe this was all free it was the best thing seen all year well worth a visit

Its nice to see a alternative creative event

Fantastic

Jane webb is a genius. Loved it!nAn exceptionally unique and wonderful take on christmas many thanks Beck x

Illumini really great worth a 2nd visit

Stunning use of space and the best thing I have seen all year

Very fun

Awesome

Glad to see an event that is not overpriced and rubbish this was free and brilliant well done

Very Cool

We all had a great time even the children thank you

What a experience well done to all the artists and a happy Xmas and new year

More more more!! Excellent Event

Loved the Christmas Cracker

Loved it all my views of christmas has been, renewed and refreshed. Thank You

Gorgeous exhibition would love bigger writing for the statements though.

Chloe age 6- I love the coloer brite lites really pritty

Illumini Rocks the coolest art group around

Great venue and excellent art work

Total fun made a xmas card, snow flake, tree decoration, got a glow stick and a sweet from Santa Thank You Rob age 52

Most unusual, very different and very enjoyable

Interesting Venue and very well transformed

They're all great

Has a scary feeling like your surrounded by dead people , great art work!

A wonderful alternative to commeralized Christmas Grottos ! Thank You and Merry Christmas

A beautiful and alternative christmas decoration!

A lovely Exhibit really enjoyed the interesting takes on xmas

Most amazing experience I have seen in ages

Great Exhibition lots of fun

I like the interactive ones best

Most Illuminating Crypto Santa & fairy totally Rock !! Metal in fact

I loved every single unique bit of it

No surprise that it was worth the insanely mad journey in the snow with public transport. Illumini you are always worth it. Thank you

Loved and thank you

Brilliant and loved it

Very interesting Thank You and a Merry Christmas

 

2nd visit just had to bring the family to experience this great event

Brilliant

Robo Santa Rocks

Spooky venue amazing art work

Beautiful put together, such fantastic imagination. I was not feeling in the Christmas mood, till I got here Thank You Illumini

Is Father Crypt-mas Single?

Creepy but cool

My mum kept talking about this event so much we bought her back again .She was totally embarrassing playing with the snow flake machine and advent calendar and I am sure she would of sat on santa's knee if she could.

It was awesome

Thank you for my glow stick and present it was Brill .

Illumini that was the best Christmas Present you could give to London. Thank You for your hard work and sharing your imagination and creativity with us all.

Thank you Illumini for such a great Christmas present to London

Loved the snow flake machine.

Totally unique never seen before

All the art work was the best ever seen very rare you see an event where all the art work is great/

Came with the cubs we loved it all xxxx

Great atmosphere and friendly staff

Fantastic

Great event felt the stress of work full off my shoulders as soon as I entered the crypt. Thanx

Wow totally speechless!

This is much better than the Winter Wonderland at O2and it's free!

I made my own snowflake to take home great idea

Not only was the exhibit amazing but the crew where really in the christmas spirit and great fun to talk to, thank you for helping the kids in the craft workshop and entertaining us all this christmas. Lloyds family x

Best fun I have had out in ages, great to see the arts with enjoyable and fun subject matters

You have done it again Jane Webb . Love the santa Think you should make a space ship for him for next year

We took the kids to see Father Crypt-mas and ended up enjoying the visit just as much thanks.ps would also like to say how great it was to see the main organizer of the event helping out giving glow sticks to the children and helping kids with making cards and the adults with the snow flake machine.

Well worth the trip out in the snow. Fantastic Thank You

That was amazing

Well done to all the Illumini organisers that was amazing and very well presented

Would never of gone to see an art exhibition normally, but this was amazing and would definitely come back again.

Thank You Father Crypt-ma's for the presents.

A fantastic Free event that all the family enjoyed, loved the star lights

The best Grotto I have ever seen

Loved the giant baubles made from flower pots, what imagination!

How unusual to like everything at an art event. 1st Class job Well done

Never seen anything like it before. Had a great history lesson from what I thought was a volunteer ended up being the Founder of Illumini totally interesting event and individual.

I made the opening night and it was absolutely mind blowing, can back again to play on the snow flake machine ha ha

The grandchildren loved it and so did I amazing event

Excellent art such great imagination

Would love to buy it all great art work

Cant wait to see what event will be next they just get better and better

Just found out they were not funded for this why not? Have we stopped funding great imaginative projects and just fund rubbish. Come on funders Illumini creates something never seen before and we want more.

Friendly Welcome this is no exhibition but a total experience like you will never see again

My favorite was the cracker and the information on the walls about Christmas, most interesting

We liked the Robot Xmas present

Happy Xmas Illumini

Totally unique, Well done to the organiser been put together with such thought and imagination. Truly breath taking Thank You

Absolutely wonderful

What a change to have a event that everyone no matter what age can enjoy me 4 month old has not stopped smiling at all the lights and projections

Loved it , it was great

I enjoyed that so much Thank You

Superb

Lovely very enjoyable and very unique

That was great Fun

The best thing I have done in the last 12 months and free

Fun and unexpected

Everyone so friendly considering how cold they must of been Thank You for putting a smile on my family's face after a very difficulty year. Happy New Year to you all at Illumini

Brilliant

Very interesting

Merry spooky

Illumini I really enjoyed the event an accetectic mix of great art and great ethos Jane Thanks x

loved the event amazing detail even the venue smelt of christmas

Santa Robot is so cool, Is he touring?

Interesting but weird

The whole family had a great time, what a amazing event never seen anything like it

I liked the Santa, Flower and cracker

Always wanted to see under the church

Thank You very much that was just so Wow! And so different, something like that elsewhere you would have to pay at least £10 to get into. I don't know how you do it for free. Amazing !

Phenomenal

Really Fantastic, gutted I cant stay longer

Very weird but really enjoyed it

Loved the snowflake, Robot Santa and the flower pot baubles

An amazing event and the best gift shop excellent value for money

My favorites are the Mirror light boxes and the skeleton in the front entrance

Brilliant

Cracker was great and loved the red laser lights in the corridor

Illumini never disappoints, great information on the walls, love the historical concepts of the Illumini projects, makes them very interesting for old folk like me , Illumini;s oldest Fan x

Better than the James Turrell exhibition !

Really loved and such great fun

I like x

Awesome Thank you the children and I will come again

Thank You , Thank You Thank You beautiful

Never seen my nan and grandpa have such great fun, you would think they was 12 ha ha

Went to the last Illumini Event truly amazing this one is so different but in some ways even better loved it

My friend brought me to see this grotto, was not sure what to expect what a fantastic surprise

We came for our christmas party had such great fun , made xmas cards and snow flakes . Thank you

Thank you for your wonderful exhibition

Thank You Jane Webb for making our Christmas special

Of all the crypts, in all the churches, in all the towns, in all the world, we had to walk into yours! And it was brilliant

Truly amazing such an unusual display. Loved it all, but especially the snowflake machine and advent calendar.

Does the Father Christmas Robot have his own Blog? He is amazing

Loved it Santa scared me but the kids loved him and their free gifts thank you

Excellent and original exhibition

Great event friendly artists and even got to meet the curator . Who is actually very cool

I have had a truly excellent time here today

It was like walking into Narnia totally amazing

Love it

en lighting !

Brill Merry Xmas

Cant wait to what Illumini thinks of next. I am your no.1 fan been to them all Brilliant

That was fantastic Thank you Very much

Loved it all not sure about the pink flapping skull though, bit scary for a xmas event

I thank you for having the ethos of a free fun art event, so people can come and visit your exhibitions, at no cost. Its all inclusive Thank You

Interesting facts about Christmas. illumini always creates a great event. When is the next one Jane

I hope Illumini gets the funding it so rightly deserves so that the public can continue to visit your unique free amazing events

Truly Excellent. I could not have wished for a more enjoyable time. Especially in a crypt!

A very unique experience

Lovely and different exhibition, love the snow flake, Taz's work and Susan Eyres work. Thanks Ellen

Crazy and cool

Best fun i have had in ages. never been to an art event and had fun more please Illumini

I liked every single bit of this exhibition

Wow amazing what you can do with flower pots

Loved the susan piece, where you looked through the whole, A total winter wonderland hidden inside

I loved the snow flake guys work Thanks

Every Crypt should have an Illumini Event

Truly brilliant not sure what psycho grass and NK guy photos had to do with Christmas though the other work fitted in much better . Personally thought the snowflake was the best ! Thank you for an interesting afternoon

Thank You for a most wonderful experience the children and I utterly loved the interaction . Well be back again!

Really good, spooky, exciting and very cool Thank you

Loved Santa and the pink Skull fairy

Very unusual displays thank you

What's happening to the Robot Santa after the event? Love your work Jane

Xmas started as soon as we walked to the entrance . Thank you

What a superb exhibition! Very well thought out and a fabulous use of the space. Thank You

Santa was never like this when I was young! Great modern version Jane. JBT

Good Luck and God bless Thank you

Beautiful curated and free

Unique Event. Robot Santa a little scary but couldn't resist starring at him for a good 10 minutes I swear he moved

Really nice exhibition

I really like the moving red dots

Really lovely and good fun Thank You Jane Webb.

More more more, where underground are you taking us next Illumini

loved everything, but the crypt-mas fairy was too scary, it was the noise sorry

 

 

Letters sent by Visitors

Dear Jane,

I just wanted to drop you a line after all the Christmas madness and say how much we loved Crypt-mas. I have 5 kids aged between 2yrs and 13yrs so finding something that they all enjoy is very rare. But all of them loved your light spectacular. My oldest stroppy 13 year old loved being in the crypty & said it was 'sick', the others loved the interactive advent calendar, snowflake, Father Cryptmas... well all of it really!  It really was an amazing & magical experience for all of us. I also wanted to say just how friendly everyone was. Normally when you turn up anywhere with kids (let alone 5 in tow!) especially to an art exhibition, people throw their hands up or start following us around to make sure we don't break or touch something! The people at the show were so welcoming, friendly and great at engaging with the kids - a complete breath  of fresh air! I hope you get lots more funding to do loads more exhibits because we loved this one and would love to come along to more. Good luck with future projects & thanks for making the start of the Christmas holidays with the kids great fun! Best Wishes Gemma

Hi

Just a quick email to tell you how much I and my daughter (4 ½ yrs) enjoyed the Ilumini Crypt-mas event on our visit yesterday. We particularly enjoyed the installation by Matthew Venn where we produced our own digital snow flake, the brilliant red dot laser lights that flickered around, and finally, the Malcolm Litson's amazing interactive video wall advent calendar. I will be spreading the word of others to visit.

Regards,

Keith Simmonds

Came along to the Cryptmas opening last night. Loved it! All the best Steve

Blog comments

A Whole Different Experience

On the same day as my disastrous visit to the Serpentine Gallery I also experienced the rather unusual Crypt-mas presented by Illumini. This exhibition is taking place in St Pancras Church, London and is an alternative art experience themed around Christmas.

The exhibition was in complete contrast to its predecessor. Set in an underground mass of stone corridors and eerie caves, the visitor is taken on an exceptional journey. The artworks incorporated lots of colour and light, making the dark backdrop the perfect accompaniment. Some works were given their own space in separate dungeon like rooms, whereas others were hanging along the stone walls, breaking up the sections perfectly and grouping together related pieces.

The art works are produced by many different individual artists, making for an interesting and creative range. This also means that many different mediums are used throughout the gallery, keeping the display diverse and rich in individuality.

The main thing I have to say is that I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience, it was completely different to any other ‘art gallery' I have ever been to, and frankly it was nice to see someone thinking outside the box with the gallery setting, and how this was used to represent the art works on display. The crypt definitely showcased the pieces brilliantly, as they stood out far better than they could in another normal art gallery, as a viewer my eyes and therefore my interest were completely drawn to each item on display.

Overall the experience was extremely enjoyable and I can recommend all ages visit as I believe there is something for everyone. It is clear that the organisers of Illumini's events are doing an excellent job!

www.eatsleepliveart.wordpress.com

 

Earlier today I headed out into the cold to visit the new alternative art show from Jane Webb and her collaborators, the Illumini Crypt-mas exhibition , which you'll find occupying the maze of passages under St Pancras Church on the Euston Road in London.

Crypt-mas features Jane's own work (including a rather borg-like robotic Santa) as well as 'Christmas Morning', a collection of beautiful, anemone-like pieces by Lionel Dean that subtly change colour, Judy Foote's delightful 'Crackers', Dorota Kuzniar's delicate arrangement, 'All The Trimmings!', and lots more besides.

If you like your art a bit edgy and subversive then this is the exhibition for you - the only way that I can describe it is to say that it comes across as simultaneously festive and sinister, probably due to the tombstones that are liberally scattered around the space and the influence of Vinay Hathi's 'Crypt-mas Fairy', which you'll find fluttering its macabre wings in a distant corner...

I highly recommend a visit - the exhibition is free and runs from 11am to 7pm every day up to and including 22 December. I should just mention that Jane's projects don't receive any funding from the Arts Council or similar bodies, so can I encourage you to take along a few pounds to buy some of the festive merchandise, which will help further Illumini events to take place. The bar of Crypt-mas chocolate that's on sale would make for a very unusual stocking filler, for example...

www.thelondoneer.blogspot.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

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