USA-HOLIDAY ROBOT DISPLAY Giant robots make for unusual holiday display in Palm Springs

Record ID: 401944

  • Title: USA-HOLIDAY ROBOT DISPLAY Giant robots make for unusual holiday display in Palm Springs
  • Date: 17th December 2014
  • Summary: PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (DECEMBER 15, 2014) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ROBOT STATUES AND LIGHT DISPLAY WALKING SHOT THROUGH LIGHTS ROBOT SANTA STATUE ON HORSE (SOUNDBITE) (English) DARLENE OCKERMAN, ROBOT DISPLAY VISITOR, SAYING: "It's the uniqueness of the artist and what he has created. It's very different from what you would assume a normal Christmas display would be, but it fits in very perfectly and it's just absolutely wonderful." VARIOUS OF ROBOT STATUES (SOUNDBITE) (English) LULU WESTERS, ROBOT DISPLAY VISITOR, SAYING: "This place is amazing. It reminds me of a bad nightmare I would have had as a child. It feels like a lot of stuff from the past and it's accumulated in a way that doesn't feel good. It's not in a cool vintage way, but more in a creepy throw-away society kind of way." VARIOUS OF SCULPTURES (SOUNDBITE) (English) KENNY IRWIN JR., CREATOR OF ROBOLIGHTS DISPLAY, SAYING: "Robolights has about 8.4 million lights, it's spread over four acres with over a thousand tons of art made out of recycled junk. There's over three hundred monumental artworks that people will see when they come and experience Robolights. Robolights is a fantasy wonderland that's completely out of this world." VARIOUS OF ROBOT WITH SPINNING LIGHTS VARIOUS OF SCULPTURES (SOUNDBITE) (English) KENNY IRWIN JR., CREATOR OF ROBOLIGHTS DISPLAY, SAYING: "So when you come and you view my sculptures, all my artworks are made of found objects. Basically junk. It can be anything from toilets to refrigerators, car parts, just about anything. If you can imagine it, I've probably used it in my art." VARIOUS OF ROBOT SCULPTURES (SOUNDBITE) (English) KENNY IRWIN JR., CREATOR OF ROBOLIGHTS DISPLAY, SAYING: "The highest electric bill was in 2006. It was 22,000 dollars for the season, which spans about five and a half weeks. That's when it was the incandescent lights, it's not all LED lights, so it's greener and it now averages about a four to five thousand dollar range for the season." VARIOUS OF SCULPTURES (SOUNDBITE) (English) KENNY IRWIN JR., CREATOR OF ROBOLIGHTS DISPLAY, SAYING: "I am a Muslim, I don't celebrate Christmas. What I do celebrate is spreading light in the world, and this does parallel the holidays. But I definitely don't celebrate Christmas, but my goals are the same, you know, I want to spread happiness through my work. And in Surah 52 of the Quran, Al Nour, it's about spreading light, so that is an inspiration for me directly from the Quran." PAN OF LIGHT DISPLAY
  • Embargoed: 1st January 2015 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA2M47HD8ZBMQ6FZZT4DQR9KM3B
  • Story Text: Around the holiday season, displays of Christmas lights are a common sight in neighborhoods across the U.S. But in the southern California desert town of Palm Springs, one artist - who happens to be a practicing Muslim - has put a unique spin on the annual holiday tradition.
    Artist Kenny Irwin Jr. calls his yearly holiday spectacle, "Robolights," and it features giant robots and sculptures made from recycled goods ranging from trash cans to old vacuum cleaners.
    According to Irwin, who creates the display on his home property in Palm Springs, the exhibit features over three hundred different artworks and uses over eight million lights.
    Most of the pieces convey a Christmas theme, but in the view of some visitors, the display is more disturbing than merry.
    "It reminds me of a bad nightmare I would have had as a child. It feels like a lot of stuff from the past and it's accumulated in a way that doesn't feel good. It's not in a cool vintage way, but more in a creepy throw-away society kind of way," said visitor Lulu Westers.
    Irwin agrees that his art is nothing if not eclectic, explaining that he tries to use every piece of thrown-away 'junk' that he can find.
    "So when you come and you view my sculptures, all my artworks are made of found objects. Basically junk. It can be anything from toilets to refrigerators, car parts, just about anything. If you can imagine it, I've probably used it in my art," Irwin told Reuters.
    Another interesting facet of the Robolights display is that despite the Christmas theme, its creator doesn't celebrate the holiday.
    "I am a Muslim, I don't celebrate Christmas. What I do celebrate is spreading light in the world, and this does parallel the holidays. But I definitely don't celebrate Christmas, but my goals are the same, you know, I want to spread happiness through my work. And in Surah 52, of the Quran, Al Nour, it's about spreading light, so that is an inspiration for me directly from the Quran," Irwin said.
    The Robolights display is open most years throughout the holiday season for about five weeks, and is open to all visitors for free.
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