Orion Lumia by Will Rockwell

Here's a thread on the Steampunk Forums, where the inventor documents his process.

Opus 147 "Multidimensional" (1957) and Opus 140 "Visual Counterpoint" by Thomas Wilfred

Though best seen in person, this high definition excerpt offers a glimpse into Wilfred's extraordinary composition of light, color, and form that transforms slowly overtime, exhibiting a delicate array of ephemeral beauty.

Thomas Wilfred was a pioneer of Light Art, and coined the term Lumia to refer to an independent, silent art form.

The compositions featured in this video are what Wilfred referred to as “Recorded Lumia” which is to say that the works are self contained mechanical instruments as opposed to the earlier manually operated Clavilux models.

Born in 1889, Thomas Wilfred found success as an artist when still a young man. Raised in Denmark, he studied painting and poetry in France and England and was already well established as a Lute Player of great reknown before moving to the US and putting music aside to pursue his real passion of composing in an entirely new art form, Lumia. He built his first Clavilux instrument in 1919, and gave a spectacular public debut at New York’s Neighborhood Playhouse in 1922.

Information on Winfred.

Yale Archives of his work.

"Dawn’s Early Light" by Louis M. Brill

Lumia projections are very special if presented in a very slow undulating movement as the light forms unfold, shape shifting from one sensuous image to another. Often to extend the visual presence of animated Lumia a musical track accompanies the Lumia motion which is no different than adding a musical score to a film. When music is played with a Lumia composition, it adds a narrative, emotional and dynamic presence to the abstract moving light as the mind attempts to synchronize the sound and visuals being presented.

In presentation as watched by its audience there is a transition where it appears the music is driving the Lumia imagery. Here the audience's experience becomes transcendent of both the music and the visuals as they are blended into a singular experiential moment. Enjoy.

Music:
Doug McKechnie is a producer, composer, and performer, born in Berkeley, CA. Doug played the Moog from 1968 to 1972 in California and Utah, including the famous Altamont concert with the Rolling Stones. You can see him in the movie Gimme Shelter. In the mid-70s, he along with Stephen Hill of Music From The Hearts of Space fame and visualist David Perrazo recreated the legendary planetarium show Vortex at the Morrison Planetarium in San Francisco and the Macmillan planetarium in Vancouver, B. C. (1974-75).

"After Thomas Wilfred", six artists and the contemporary lumia experience

Curated by Joshua White at Yale University Art Gallery. Presented in conjunction with the special exhibition "Lumia: Thomas Wilfred and the Art of Light".

George O Stadnik: Illusions of time
Laurent Fort: Polaris
David Hull: Lumia Video
William Rochwell (William Davis: Orion Lumia
Joshua White: Joshua Light Show
Trent Kim: Luminal Fold