Coloured Peonies

A series of large illuminated flower sculptures line a city street at night, glowing in shades of white, pink, orange and yellow. The towering floral installations are mounted on slender stems and stand against a backdrop of historic buildings and city lights, creating a vibrant outdoor light display.

About Coloured Peonies

Coloured Peonies is a striking, monumental light installation created by French artistic studio TILT. Standing six metres high, these giant botanical light sculptures present a graceful, natural elegance during the day with their delicate, finely cut white petals.

As night falls, the artwork comes alive through dynamic, synchronised lighting sequences, transforming the site into a glowing canopy of ever-changing hues.

Directly responding to this year’s River of Light theme of 'Together', Coloured Peonies is designed not merely as a visual spectacle, but as a warm, welcoming gathering space for the community.

At the base of the luminaires, integrated circular benches explicitly invite visitors, families, and strangers to sit down together, pause, and share a collective moment of wonder under the radiant light. Just as the individual flowers cluster together in harmonious bouquets, the artwork gathers people from all walks of life into a single shared space, fostering social interaction, togetherness, and connection in the heart of the city.

Easy read descriptions

Coloured Peonies is a group of giant flower sculptures that light up at night. During the day, they look like large white flowers. As it gets dark, they glow with changing colours. Benches underneath invite people to sit together, relax and enjoy the lights with family, friends and other visitors.

Location

Cunard Building, The Strand

What Three Words: ///basis.swept.loss

Sustainability Information

Coloured Peonies is designed with sustainability at its core.

Eco-Design & Longevity: Built in their workshop using durable materials (steel, aluminium, wood) sourced locally, engineered to last over 10 years.

Low Power Consumption: Fitted with high-efficiency LEDs (only 250W per structure).

Smart Operation: Managed by timers to limit energy use and light emissions.

Site Efficiency: We coordinate to turn off or reduce surrounding public lighting, saving overall municipal energy while enhancing the artwork’s impact.

The artwork is also designed to be fully enjoyed during the day without electricity.

About TILT

TILT’s journey started 25 years ago in artistic director François Fouilhé’s garage, lit by a modest spark: lights inside glass jars. Step by step, that craft evolved into monumental artistic ambition.

Today, TILT is a team of 10 skilled artists and technical experts dedicated to re-enchanting spaces worldwide through remarkable, tailor-made light scenographies. From public squares to private sites, and from ephemeral festival setups to permanent installations, all their work is created in their own workshop alongside trusted local suppliers.

Having showcased their light installations at iconic light and music festivals on every continent, they are delighted to return to Liverpool for their second River of Light Festival to share their magical universe with the city once again.

Find out more about TILT