Local Artists Light Up Waterford
You may be wondering about the colourful silhouettes surrounding our streets and some of Waterford City’s iconic buildings.
As part of the City of Lights project supported by the Fáilte Ireland Urban Animation Scheme, this inaugural project, commissioned by Waterford City and County Council and Waterford Cultural Quarter has been months in the making and showcases the work of two local Waterford artists, Dan O’Neill Audio and Visual artist, and Vadim Taranenko, showcasing and piloting the Fáilte Ireland funded ‘City of Lights’.
Dan O’Neill of Mene Audio Visual is a Waterford-based artist with qualifications in sound engineering, music production, audio-visual media and visual communications. He explores the intersection of light, sound and design, drawing on experience in both traditional and digital media, he brings a multidisciplinary approach to creative projects.
Dan explained how this was a “fantastic learning experience” in which he initially explored full colour illustrations and abstract solutions before refining the design into stylised silhouettes of Waterford’s Quayside buildings on a ‘sunset’ backdrop. The projection process dictated colour and composition choices in unexpected ways and became a rewarding challenge, rather than a traditional arrangement, adding that he aimed to create a stamp-like emblem, a circular skyline composition representing Waterford as an energetic, welcoming and vibrant historic City, creating something that evokes a sense of place.
For his GOBO design, Vadim Taranenko said he “wanted to create something fun and playful that also included Waterford’s rich Viking history. Working on this project, it was very exciting to know that the public would be able to engage with my work and that I was able to display my work on such a large scale. As someone who grew up in Waterford, it felt surreal seeing my design shine over Hanover Street.”
Vadim Taranenko, also known as ‘Chango Pongo’ online, is a digital illustrator / animator based in Waterford. “I would describe my work as ‘Playful Fantasy.’ It’s often cute, whimsical and draws inspiration from video games, visual novels and animation”, Taranenko notes
Waterford City and County Council and Waterford Cultural Quarter ‘City of Lights’ Pilot Project will continue into a second phase, showcasing this unique Waterford work by local artists, on buildings of cultural heritage significance throughout the coming Autumn and Winter and into 2026, increasing the animation and visibility of the City during the darker months.
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