The Beacon (2025)
Kangan was invited to design a polychromatic, patchwork feature curtain for touring performance venue The Beacon, a flagship project for Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture. The 18 metre by 5 metre artwork is a colourful homage to Britain’s first ever ‘Mela’ - a South Asian cultural festival, held in Bradford in 1988 - and draws upon the city’s incomparable textile heritage.
With a design influenced by striped celebration tents from the Subcontinent, and colours that reference the William Morris-designed stained glass in Bradford Cathedral, the feature curtain acts as a bold backdrop to the dynamic performances hosted at The Beacon. The kaleidoscopic tones of vivid pink, citrine yellow, deep fuchsia, and electric blue focusses the audiences perspective to the centre, like an optical instrument.
The Beacon is a custom-made performance venue that is touring Bradford District throughout 2025. Bradford 2025 are working with people of each community to create bespoke cultural programming in each location; including music, dance, theatre, comedy, and spoken word, as well as play sessions, yoga classes, family activities, and neighbourhood get-togethers for local residents.
Curtain Photography and Portrait by Taran Wilkhu
External Photography by Andrew Benge and Patrycja Maziarz
Performance Photography by Patrycja Maziarz
Commissioned by Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture