Waterloo Greenway recently unveiled six new light-based art installations to be displayed at its annual Creek Show, which takes place November 10-18. This year's sho will continue the tradition of showcasing locally made illuminated art along Waller Creek in a nightly public show that extends from 9th Street to Waterloo Park.

The annual event, which originally featured light installations on and in Waller Creek, started in 2014 as a way for Waterloo Greenway Conservancy to highlight its vision for restoring the creek and creating the Waterloo Greenway park system. 

The conservancy, which the show w with AIA Austin, enlists a committee of local artists, community leaders, and Creek Show enthusiasts to select installations from candidate submissions. The selection committee chose the following installations and artist teams for the 2023 show. Waterloo Greenway provided the installation descriptions and artists' statements below.

Babble
Lucas Greco & Reeve Hunter

Babble is a light-hearted contemplation of our changing perceptions of Waller Creek. Together, the sights and sounds of the installation call visitors to break from the bustle of busy lives and experience anew and upclose the burbling waterways pulsing calmly through our city.

Three types of corrugated roofing panels, sharing a common form but contrasting in color and character, come together to form illuminated heads of extraordinary size from ordinary construction materials. Speakers are installed among the faces producing muttering sounds of voices and babbling fading in and out while contrasting tones and melodies intermingle in unique ways depending on the viewer’s vantage point.

The Creek Keeper
Jake Rosenberg, Clayton Lillard, Mateo Gutierrez, Chris Haddad, and Chandler Goen

Once upon a time, The Creek Keeper emerged from the depths of Waller Creek to protect its folklore and remind us of the vital connection between environment and culture.

A towering snapping turtle-like monster made from recycled materials, the installation invites us to explore the creek’s unique identity and inspires us to take action in preserving our natural world. Join us on a journey of discovery and conservation, as we honor the stories of the past and light up the future of our planet.

Crescendo
Alex Martin & Max Hoffman

Crescendo represents the heartbeat of Austin and the Red River Cultural District—music.

The installation at Symphony Square is an array of repurposed sheet music stands with color-changing panels of light. Stop by for a song or two to enjoy an orchestrated light show!

Into the Wild
Nolan Stone & Ryan Blair

In a rapidly urbanizing world, our few remaining wild places exist in the form of urban creeks and greenbelts.

Into the Wild is a plea for wilder cities that highlights the life that still exists within. The flora and fauna that reside in these spaces have existed here long before humans and the resilient remainders were required to adapt to human development. Once the daylight wanes and the moonlight illuminates the water, the creek comes alive reminding us of what once was and what could be.

Melting Mirrors
Topher Sipes & Jasna Boudard

Melting Mirrors is a multi-layered video installation, featuring digitally manipulated slow-motion video of the flow and movement of the water surface of Waller Creek.

The installation features multiple parallel screens of translucent fabric as staggered surfaces for the video content, allowing the projected light to pass through each layer to the next and simulating slices of a holographic cone for viewers as they pass by. This 3-dimensional experience facilitates viewing depth above and beneath the creek’s surface through the interplay of water with light.

Riot
Maria Berrios & JuanRaymon Rubio

Riot is a memorial installation that showcases the Battle of Waller Creek and offers a reflection on the destruction of Austin’s natural landscape. The design gives viewers insight into the history of the protest and also considers the aftermath of a notable political and environmental fight.