In Conversation with Lakwena Maciver

In this conversation, Lakwena Maciver discusses Rise and Shine, her artwork launching in Piccadilly Circus as part of Art After Dark 2026. Drawing on music, heritage, spirituality, and the visual language of London’s high streets and nightlife, Maciver explores how familiar objects, colour, light, and sound can become shared symbols of joy and connection. Speaking about process, public access, and the power of art after dark, Maciver reflects on what it means to create work that is immersive, accessible, and deeply rooted in London's history.

The piece uses everyday objects like disco light boxes. What excites you about transforming familiar, nostalgic objects into something monumental?
I’m especially drawn to how these objects carry stories and memories for so many people. By elevating them in a public space, they become symbols of community and shared heritage, offering a playful reading of London’s everyday history, especially in a location that carries so much history and heritage like the West End.

What was your process for choosing the colours, lights, and materials for this installation?
I’m instinctively drawn to bright, kaleidoscopic colours and rhythmic patterns. The materials are nostalgic and accessible, chosen to evoke the tactile, analogue feel of London’s high streets, daily life and nightlife.

If you could describe the installation in three words, what would they be?
Joyful, communal, vibrant.

Art After Dark celebrates UK music culture. What role has music played in your life and practice, and how did it influence Rise and Shine?
Music is a big part of the culture of my family. We were always singing together, one of my grandmas was an opera singer, my sister is a singer. I grew up singing in church. I’m often listening to music when I make work. A lot of my work references song lyrics. There's so much emotion and storytelling in music and it’s something that resonates and connects with so many people from all walks of life, across cultures. For Rise and Shine, I wanted the soundtrack to reflect and celebrate the diversity and energy of London’s music scene.

How do ideas of heritage and spirituality appear in this piece, even if viewers aren’t consciously aware?
I’m really interested in the history of this country and our shared stories about who we are, where we came from. Stories that people have lived and sometimes died for. You can still see remnants of these very powerful things that the people who came before us believed in, especially in a place like Piccadilly Circus. The Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain is a really good example, right next to my installation. You can see the same Spirit behind the words, the colours, the motifs that recur in my work, but in a more contemporary language that hopefully speaks to the people who inhabit this space now.

As the headline artist for Art After Dark 2026, what does it mean to bring your work to Londoners and visitors in such a central, public space?
It’s an honour to present my art in the West End, right at the heart of London. I like the fact that we’re inviting people to experience the area in a completely different way - visitors can see my installation in Piccadilly Circus and then move through the West End exploring late-night gallery openings, special offers at restaurants and bars, and lots of really interesting cultural offerings.

This project reflects the city’s rich visual history and diversity, and it feels special to be part of a programme that brings art, music and nightlife together for free across such an iconic part of London.

Rise and Shine is free to experience from 3-10 February. How do you hope public access shapes the way people interact with your work?
Making art accessible is one of the key motivations of my work. I hope people feel welcome to gather, dance, and experience the installation as part of their everyday lives.

Art After Dark is about experiencing the city differently at night. How do light, sound, and movement affect the way people connect with your installation?
Light and sound have the power to completely transform a space at night. In Rise & Shine, colour, movement and music work together to create an immersive environment that shifts how people see and feel the city around them. The animated lightboxes respond to sound, creating a dynamic, living artwork that invites interaction and celebrates the energy of nightlife in the West End.

What feeling or spirit do you hope visitors take away from Rise and Shine?
I hope people leave feeling uplifted, connected, and inspired by the joyful energy and creativity of London and its communities.