Lightgeist

presented by pop pistol 

Designed by Alex Scheel

In 2021, Pop Pistol presented a new work titled Lightgeist, a remix of the term “zeitgeist” (“spirit of the times”). Lightgeist speaks to the permanence of the spiritual energy of a place. The land that surrounds the San Antonio river, originally called Yanaguana, has been inhabited for millennia. Lightgeist reveals layers of these spirit remnants on a canvas painted with UV reactive paint. The figures depicted reflect flora and fauna of the region’s past, present, and future with the flowing waters as a lifesource. 

The concept for Lightgeist pays homage to the fluorescent murals displayed on the inner walls of the Alameda Theater. The murals, created in 1949 under the direction of Hanns Teichert and executed in part by artist Frank Lackner, depict Texas/Mexican history and were the first in Texas to use the reactive light technology. Lightgeist thus extends and renews the legacy of San Antonio’s innovative mid-century mural history with a futuristic aesthetic. 

The creation of the Lightgeist UV reactive mural required 250+ hours of collective planning and execution. Following an extensive design process, the task of outlining and painting the backdrop took two weeks and many hands.   

Special thanks goes out to Nikki Huerta, Mark Garza, Carly Garza, Zach Espinoza, Andi & Sofia Garcia-Linn, Miguel Garcia, and Oscar Barrera for physically volunteering their time and creative energies upon the canvas. For housing the completion phase of the mural,we extend humble gratitude to Joseph Garrett and the community of Woodlawn Pointe. Without the patience and dedication of these people, we could not have produced this work in adequate time. Furthermore, to our families for supporting us in every way possible we are eternally grateful.