
The colourful flags by Gringo Cardia represent the celebration of summer at Southbank Centre during Festival Brazil.
Along with the continual buzz of artistic activity, the summer months often mean two things at Southbank Centre. Pimms consumption reaches its dizzy heights on Central Bar Terrace outside Royal Festival Hall and Jeppe Hein’s Appearing Rooms drenches a multitude of enthusiastic volunteers who dare to brave the water jets.
This sense of joy has been reflected by a cross-site artwork called Rays of Light created by Brazilian designer Gringo Cardia.
Cardia, who started out as a gymnast, has earned an enviable reputation as one of the most sought-after designers in the world of performing arts and video in Brazil. He is perhaps most widely known for his Cirque du Soleil set-designs, although he has also worked in architecture and graphic design.
Pass by on the footpath along the Thames and you can’t miss Rays of Light. Cardia has chosen to celebrate Southbank Centre’s summer-long Festival Brazil with a brilliant collection of canary-yellow flags adorning many of our venues, including Royal Festival Hall and Queen Elizabeth Hall.
‘[The idea] is to bring… the light of summer through the yellow colour flaming all over the building,’ he explains.
‘The inspiration for that is that yellow is the colour of Brazil and at the same time the colour of the sun, happiness and the summer.
‘The idea of adorning the building with such a simple but organic installation is that the building is alive. As the wind changes, the flags change their movement, and for me that is a thermometer of the nature – itself changing all the time.
‘[Lastly] I think the symbolism of the flags is party and [feeling] happiness together.
‘The yellow brings that explosion in such a grey environment and contrasts with the blue sky of summer. For me that’s the spirit of our Brazilian culture.’
Why don’t you come and join the party? Get involved in the many free Festival Brazil events taking place each weekend, including samba classes, live gigs and celebrations of Brazilian dance and music.
If it were up to you, what colour flags would you choose and why?

The flags appear on many of Southbank Centre's venues, including Queen Elizabeth Hall (pictured) and Royal Festival Hall.
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