Empire of Light / Imperio de la Luz

Annea Lyvv Dreisz

When thou hast risen on the Eastern Horizon

Thou art fair, great, dazzling,

High above every land

Thy rays encompass the land

To the very end of all thou hast made.

At daybreak, when thou arisest on the horizon,

When thou shinest as the sun by day,

Thou drivest away the darkness and givest thy rays

This Art’s Birthday Cake ‘Empire of Light’ came to me in a dream during the night, when it was dark. A wild blue mountain… and a light… a sun… the sun blasts on my head…I saw people dancing around a creamy mountain...  Drawing inspiration from the painting of René Magritte ‘Empire of Lights’, that interrogates the tension between darkness and light, ‘The Holy Mountain’, Alejandro Jodorowsky’s movie, a critique on a Society drowned in consumption and lack of knowledge, as well as the book by Thomas Mann with the same title, where philosophical matters are discussed skiing over mountains, in such a way you want to stay on that mountain forever. A Permanent Celebration, like Robert Filliou would call it. 

This cake will stand as a tribute, featuring a creamy cloud mountain, or is it a blue sky? Swiss Meringue is used as paint. Topped or covered with eternal sunshiners that echo the ethereal tones of Philip Glass’s Hymn to the Sun, from his opera ‘Akhnaten’—with the sun being a powerful symbol of light and rebirth. Just as an empire thrives under the rule of a strong leader, this cake signifies the importance of every individual in our artistic community. It serves as a reminder that each person contributes to the brilliance of our celebration. As the audience moves through the various performances and different stages of this Art’s Birthday like a spiritual quest, they will ascend to the top floor of MHKA. Here, they will be met with the enlightening sight of the mountaincake, a true Empire of Light. 

The act of sharing this cake is not merely about food but a communal acknowledgment of significance. It stands as a testament to the importance of this moment in time and the unique value of each individual’s presence. With each bite of this Swiss meringue cake, we will celebrate the triumph of light over darkness. Violence is not allowed in this empire. With each bite it is confirmed. When there’s a cake, that means the occasion is monumental. 

Let’s celebrate and shout: Alle Dagen Cake!