If you’ve walked through Madrid recently, you may have noticed that the neon green cross-shaped signed that trumpet the city’s pharmacies have gotten a bit brighter in recent years, thanks to new regulations. In protest, anonymous art group Luz Interruptus installed hundreds of fluorescent sticks, which they call “mutant weeds” – nourished by the green light of the pharmacy signs.
The project is an attempt to address the issue of light pollution with a sense of humor. The cross signs are so powerful, Luz Interruptus writes, that:
Objectively speaking, one could say that the majority of the urban green spaces in our city, are more the result of erroneous illuminated sign rules than the commitment of our institutions to provide the city with places where you can be in contact with nature.
Light pollution does more than block out the stars for city dwellers: It also boosts air pollution and kills insects.
Check out the timelapse video of the making of the installation:
Luz Interruptus uses light to highlight environmental issues, from the lack of public drinking fountains to the threat of nuclear doom.