Filmmaker Launches Kickstarter Campaign to Transform Chicago Rail into Interactive Lighting Art

Filmmaker Jack C. Newell and design consultant Seth Unger have launched a Kickstarter campaign to transform the dingy elevated train tracks (L) in Chicago’s loop to a piece of interactive light art.

A rendered image of the finished installation of The Wambash Lights. (All photos courtesy of The Wambash Lights via Kickstarter)

The proposed public art project, The Wambash Lights, will install 5,000 programmable LED tube lights underneath the elevated rail tracks section on Wabash Avenue.

The 4-inch color-tunable LED tube lights used for the project will be controallable for every 1.2-inch.

Lighting design of the art project is open to public, and anyone can customize the color tunable 4-inch LED tube lights down to 1.2-inch segment, by using The Wambash Lights website program or mobile app.

The Wambash Lights website program for lighting design.

Funds raised from the Kickstarter campaign will be invested in the Beta Test of the products, and once the Beta Test products are installed the duo will start a fundraising campaign with a goal of US $5 million in private, foundation, and corporate dollars.

The Wambash Lights has raised $ 5,586 out of its pledged $55,000 goal, and has another 30 days to go before the funding campaign ends.