World renowned light artist Gerry Hoffstetter is in Delhi to carve stories with light at a special event in the Swiss Embassy

Acclaimed Swiss light artist, Gerry Hofstetter’s first ever light art show in India is at the Embassy of Switzerland in Delhi this evening and another one for school children on October 29

Heritage buildings and natural landscapes whisper stories of valour, delight and heroism, says Swiss light artist Gerry Hofstetter, who transforms iconic spaces into works of art with a mesmerizing use of light.

This week. he is in Delhi on the invitation of the Swiss Embassy to create light art on the façade of the Embassy building and garden, as part of the grand finale of the ‘Swiss It!’ initiative. The three-year Initiative organised 35 events across 30 Indian cities to share experiences about innovations from Switzerland for a sustainable future.

Hofstetter, who has had a chequered career in the Swiss Armed Forces and banking, creates all the images for projections and prepares the equipment himself, using high-tech cameras, state-of-the-art drones and 6,000-watt specially designed projectors. It helps that he is also a helicopter pilot, film producer, author, photographer and national pentathlon athlete, as the job requires multiple skills and a high level of fitness.

After two decades of creating world premieres at iconic locations, the 60-year-old says he is finally “India-ready”. Since 2003, when he projected the Taj Mahal onto a giant iceberg at the South Pole, he says he has wanted to visit the country of vibrant colours and spiritual light.  

Stating that Hofstetter’s art is a  unique combination of technological expertise and universal symbolism, Ralf Heckner, Ambassador of Switzerland to India and Bhutan, says the event will “celebrate 75 years of India’s independence and the diplomatic relations between India and Switzerland by showcasing the art culture of both countries.”

For the past week, Hofstetter has been preparing for his first dazzling feast of light in India. He travelled around Rajasthan and Delhi to absorb the vibe. “It has been exhilarating.” He takes his team of nine members through the project step by step because he wants to ensure his shows leave perfect memories in the minds of his spectators.

Though, he states it is art that has always attracted him, he says “My interest in different jobs helped me to combine my varied experiences.” For someone who started off selling his oil portraits of horses for USD 5,000 each as a teenager, now he effectively uses his talent to paint the slides he projects onto monuments and mountains.