Julien Veren (b. 1976, Sheffield, UK) is a British light artist whose work critically examines the relationship between human perception and technologically mediated environments. Initially trained in experimental physics, he developed a rigorous understanding of light systems before turning toward artistic practice as a means of engaging their experiential implications.
In 2003, Veren stepped away from conventional academic research, rejecting purely analytical frameworks in favour of direct engagement with lived experience. Since then, his practice has centred on immersive light environments that test the psychological and social dimensions of illumination.
Working extensively with emerging lighting technologies and advanced control methodologies, Veren treats technical innovation as a material in its own right. His installations explore how subtle variations in luminosity, timing, and chromatic balance influence attention, behaviour, and interpersonal dynamics. Rather than foregrounding spectacle, the work interrogates how contemporary technological systems quietly structure human presence and collective awareness.
He lives and works in Llangollen, UK.
Pipe Dream is a large-scale immersive light installation that surrounds audiences with animated light and sound. Thousands of programmable LED pixels are suspended overhead, creating a flowing canopy of movement and colour. As sequences ripple across the structure, visitors are invited to gather beneath and experience light from a new perspective.
Light In Motion is a mesmerising kinetic installation that brings light to life through movement, rhythm and sound. Suspended illuminated elements rise and fall in choreographed sequences, creating a living performance of colour and motion above audiences.
Parallels explores symmetry, reflection and perception through immersive light. Using mirrored surfaces and dynamic LED programming, this installation creates evolving patterns that appear infinite. Designed to encourage slow exploration, Parallels is both visually striking and meditative – inviting visitors to step inside and experience light from multiple perspectives.
Rubix is a bold, modular geometric light sculpture featuring vibrant colour changes and animated sequences. Its strong architectural form makes it a powerful focal point for festivals, exhibitions and public spaces. Designed to be reconfigured, Rubix adapts to different footprints and layouts, making it incredibly versatile.
Pixel Sky is a dramatic overhead canopy made from thousands of individually addressable LED pixel spheres. Suspended above audiences, this installation transforms open spaces into immersive environments of flowing colour, pattern and motion. As visitors walk beneath the canopy, animated sequences ripple across the ceiling of light, creating a mesmerising sky that encourages people to look up, slow down and fully engage with their surroundings.
I became less interested in defining light, and more interested in experiencing its effects.
Light has the ability to shift energy without announcing itself. It alters mood, distance, attention. A fractional change in intensity or tone can influence how we feel, how we move, and how we connect with others.
My work grows from a continual engagement with emerging lighting technologies and control systems. I am drawn to new tools not for novelty, but for the nuance they make possible. Each development allows for greater sensitivity, finer adjustments, quieter transitions, more responsive environments.
The installations I create are immersive and experiential. They are spaces where engineered systems and human perception meet. I am interested in how we inhabit technological atmospheres, how we adapt to them, negotiate them, and ultimately internalise them.
For me, the work is about awareness: of light, of presence, and of the subtle systems that shape our shared experience.