The exhibition is a celebration of the arrival of light, captured through the lens of a local perspective. The photographs were selected by a panel following an open call, asking for alternative perspectives of the Fire Festivals. Photographers range from 19 years to 60+ and professional to amateur.
Fireflies complements Mayflies in the Upper Café, an exhibition by Darren Smith. Over seven years, Smith traveled across three continents to photograph participants at festivals and cultural gatherings, including Up Helly Aa, capturing studio portraits that isolate moments of vivid transformation. By juxtaposing the deeply rooted traditions of Up Helly Aa with the universal themes of Mayflies, both exhibitions reveal the shared human impulse to gather, transform, and celebrate. Both projects explore the interplay of costume, identity, and community—how individuals express themselves within the collective, and how rituals connect us across time and place.
Come along to Mareel's cafe and don't miss both these fantastic celebration of festivals from near and far.
Above photo by Calum Burgess
