Gadgetory

above San Francisco Bay last night the Bay Bridge sparkled and shimmered shifting patterns of light moving across the nearly two mile span on a balcony nearby artist Leo Villareal creates from his laptop using software to sculpt patterns of light really I guess my goal is to create a communal experience the piece almost becomes like a digital campfire that people can gather around he is putting the final touches on bay lights a work of art that will be officially turned on tonight Villarreal is constantly changing light sculpture will run for the next two years it's as if the wires there are alive it does bring a real sense of life and animation to the bridge electricians endured for months of cold nights attaching 25,000 LED lights on the bridge cables it's transforming the Bay Bridge that opened to a claim in 1936 but was quickly overshadowed when the more elegant golden gate opened five months later for more than 75 years the Golden Gate has been a show horse the Bay Bridge a workhorse the bridges do have a slight rivalry you know this is a really hard-working bridge 280,000 trips a day we do all the heavy liftings and I think everyone feels the same way that that this beautiful work of humanity has its moment to shine Ben Davis led to fundraising for the 8 million dollar project and brought in Villarreal an artist already recognized for large-scale light sculptures but never anything this big it doesn't require an art degree or anything else it just requires being a human to really appreciate it so many people are expected to appreciate it it's projected to generate nearly a hundred million dollars in the local economy and become a tourist attraction to rival the Golden Gate at least at night for CBS this morning John Blackstone San Francisco you