Reuben Wu: Drawing Geometry Across the Night Sky
Reuben Wu, an artist originally from Liverpool and now based in Chicago, is revolutionizing landscape photography through his innovative combination of long-exposure techniques and aerial illumination. His notable series, Lux Noctis, has been showcased in prestigious art institutions, including the Guggenheim Museum and The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Born in 1975 to Hong Kong immigrants, Wu pursued Industrial Design at Sheffield Hallam University before co-founding the electronic band Ladytron in 1999. After a successful music career, he pivoted to photography, inspired by a trip to Svalbard in 2011, gaining acclaim with his work featured by leading brands like National Geographic and Apple.
Key facts
- Reuben Wu was born in Liverpool in 1975 to parents who emigrated from Hong Kong.
- He studied Industrial Design at Sheffield Hallam University.
- In 1999, he co-founded the electronic band Ladytron with Daniel Hunt, Mira Aroyo, and Helen Marnie.
- Ladytron's debut single was named Single of the Week in NME.
- In 2011, Wu made a photographic journey to Svalbard in the high Arctic, producing his first cohesive photographic work.
- In 2014, at Trona Pinnacles, accidental truck headlights led to the creation of the Lux Noctis series using drone-mounted lighting.
- Wu developed the Aeroglyphs series, featuring geometric light patterns traced through the air.
- His book Lux Noctis is in the library collections of the Guggenheim Museum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Museum of Modern Art.
- Wu has worked on commissions for National Geographic, including at the Pastoruri Glacier in Peru and Stonehenge.
- He has collaborated with Apple, Mercedes-Benz, and Google.
- Wu relocated to the United States in 2013 and is now based in Chicago.
- He increasingly incorporates audiovisual elements into his practice.
Entities
Artists
- Reuben Wu
- Daniel Hunt
- Mira Aroyo
- Helen Marnie
Institutions
- Guggenheim Museum
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Museum of Modern Art
- Sheffield Hallam University
- National Geographic
- Apple
- Mercedes-Benz
- Ladytron
Locations
- Liverpool
- Hong Kong
- Sheffield
- Svalbard
- Trona Pinnacles
- Pastoruri Glacier
- Peru
- Stonehenge
- Chicago
- United States
Sources
- AATONAU —