Heather and I have a long standing tradition of braving the cold around the time of my birthday of braving the cold to enjoy the Canary Wharf Winter Lights. This year we went on a Thursday after work.

This year’s offerings were a little bit hit and miss to be honest. Two or three we really liked, while at least one I really couldn’t see the point of. I suppose that’s the nature of such things, but it did feel a little less consistent than normal.

As per usual we ignored the numbering on the rapidly acquired map, and started at one end of the area, working our way to the other way. That meant we began with a maybe unimaginative but big Portal looming over us. We had to pass through of course, but quickly returned lest we get stuck in the wrong universe.

Just down the road from the big gate was one of our favourite pieces, which we spent quite some time happily watching. Bird Passing By unlit looks like the bones of some great dinosaur. Light brings it to life, the titular bird appearing along its ribs in white and multicoloured varieties. The effects are mesmerising, and worth the time spent watching.

We wandered back down to the garden which sits atop the tube station, passing the unimpressive Mirage by Atelier Sisu before venturing into the shopping centre below for Positive Spin. The concept of the latter (essentially a one armed bandit) was interesting but the sequence was far too long to encourage to join the long queue to interact.

Heading back out we passed a hole floating in the water before heading through another shopping centre (how many are there?!) to some Artificial Humans. They stood, disconnected and unspeaking, alike. We didn’t feel the need to climb up to see the further collection on the roof of the Elizabeth Line station but headed down the water, which led to what to my least favourite piece, Stitching Light, which seemed neither light nor particularly well stitched.

Just beside that though was something at the opposite end of favouritism—surprisingly by the same studio as the earlier disappointing Mirage. Evanescent Droplets were basically giant artificial bubbles floating in the central fountain, their iridescence shifting with time and reflecting from the still water. In the chill night they looked lovely.

Stranger was Benedikt Tolar‘s Aj Vana Be, which was basically a bunch of bathtubs stacked on top of each other in a hexagonal column, occasionally lighting up. The main attraction seemed to be for children to stand in the lower tier.

Along to the riverside, and the quiet Circa by Limbic Cinema. It’s position right on the river wall did make it a little difficult to view.

Looming over the road, the disturbing Error almost hovered in the dark, a imposing disk that seemed to shift axis as one moved. Walking around it its menacing air was foreboding, almost alien, but I actually quite liked it.

The final delight was Wave by Squidsoup (familiar from Winter lights a years ago). A net of hung, colour changing balls that were interesting to watch, and soothing to pass beneath. Ending on a high.