The lightness of Fogg

Ever wondered what light is? If you wake up early and see a sunrise transform a black night into a world of colour and song, well, you know something special happens when you turn the lights on.

Many years ago, a young boy gently lowered himself into a warm bath. He had been born into a generation that was to know the peace and prosperity of a white middle class in a country rich with idealism and the earth’s abundant resources. Emerging from the ravages of two world wars, it was time to play and dream and build the fantasies that new technologies and wealth promised. And play they did!

This young boy was of course unaware of any of this as he looked blankly, maybe dreamily, forward, the water calming him down, the light dancing in front of his eyes like a vision. The textured old window at the end of the bath was now turning the outside world into a blaze of kaleidoscopic fractures. It had become a silent projector throwing dancing patterns onto his retinas. How could he resist this new kind of enchantment?

Touched by the light of the sublime, Roger Foley-Fogg grew into an internationally known luminokinetic innovator of light and sound. The times were a-changing and he and his collaborators turned the lights on.

His brothers and sisters actively turned on as well and he became known as Ellis D. Fogg (for the curious reason that it sounded like LSD). As the world descended into war once again, his generation resisted with peace and love. They played their music loud, dressed like jesters and liberated themselves from the sexual chains of the past. Their new spirituality was illuminated by the patterns and colours of a new age, and Roger was right there to turn the lights on.

For the last half century, artists and craftspeople have attended the Paddington Uniting Church to perform their creations, sell their wares and meet to plan societal change. The other night, a celebration for the eighty-something Roger saw his friends, collaborators and yes, fans, come together. The gathering celebrated the launch of Fogg’s new book together with a live show called Mr Fogg’s Last Lightshow.

The stage was illuminated by his dynamic patterns and wild, beautiful music accompanied it. One of the performing groups known as Liquidelic had been inspired by Roger’s analogue mechanisms. They had adopted his techniques and fused its magic with their brand of dance and performance. Coordinating with the animating colours and shapes, they fused ideas and styles from their own traditional cultures to create something new, wonderful and deeply moving.

Thanks Roger, your lightsaber is now in good hands, your legacy continues to shine.

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