Bloomlights at Caspar David Friedrich’s Birthplace

© Gudrun Koch

Reflecting on neo-romanticism in Greifswald, Germany

Earlier this year, three of our Bloomlights were exhibited in Greifswald, Germany — a quiet northern town best known as the birthplace of Caspar David Friedrich. The presentation took place in February, marking the 250th anniversary of the iconic Romantic painter’s birth. Curated by Light Art Collection, the small-scale outdoor exhibition explored the legacy of Friedrich’s work and its ongoing relevance today.

We were honoured to be included. While our practice is firmly rooted in contemporary technology, we’ve always felt a strong connection to Romanticism — not as an aesthetic, but as an attitude.

Friedrich’s landscapes often placed small human figures (his famous Rückenfiguren) within vast, overwhelming natural scenes. These figures were not the subject, but a way for viewers to project themselves into the work — to feel humbled, still, and emotionally present.

With Bloomlight, we try to create something similar — not on canvas, but in the real world. The Bloomlight responds to passersby by slowly bending toward them, opening like a mechanical flower. It doesn’t flash or call for attention. Instead, it offers a moment of quiet acknowledgement, inviting people to pause and become part of something a little bigger than themselves.

In today’s fast-moving world, filled with screens, notifications, and algorithmic urgency, that kind of pause feels increasingly rare. Our concept of slowtech — the foundation of our design philosophy — is very much inspired by that need. Like the Romantic painters, we’re searching for ways to create spaces of reflection and emotional connection, using the tools of our own time.

In Greifswald, the Bloomlights felt like they belonged. They weren’t there to imitate Friedrich, but to echo some of the same questions his work raises: Where do we stand in relation to the world around us? How does technology shape our sense of presence? And what happens when we stop — and let ourselves feel small again?

We’re grateful to Light Art Collection for seeing the resonance between Bloomlight and this important moment of remembrance. For us, it was more than an exhibition — it was a quiet affirmation that even in the age of machines, there’s still room for wonder.