3hund’s CGI-free LUCID is a beautifully lonesome world of neon + nature

it’s a dark and beautiful world that german collective 3hund have created in their eerie and disquieting video, LUCID. filmed primarily in the staggering, otherworldly landscapes of iceland, the camera slowly floats above valleys and mountains, golden vistas and mossy outcrops before a dull neon light hints at something strange. it’s not immediately clear what the light is, or where it’s coming from, but the visual and emotional effect is instant. 

the film was shot on location in iceland & austria

geometric shapes, sharp lines and luminous spheres bisect and redefine the landscapes they are placed in. at times seeming to shiver with strength, the lines and lights confuse the viewer’s sense of scale and perspective. it’s not always easy to tell if something is 2D or 3D, if the shape extends from the landscape or acts as a portal to a landscape of its own. the effect is both alien and futuristic, but also suggests an older, more archaic power — some sleeping thing that’s only now emerging from the surface of the earth. although deathly still, the gradual movement of the pieces is implied. merging and conversing with the world around them, the shapes at times seem to fizz and crackle and when placed in water appear to wobble and swim. it’s a video that asks more questions than it does provide answers, and instills in the watcher the mesmerizing effect of bearing witness to something that usually goes unseen.

the video instills in the watcher the mesmerizing effect of bearing witness to something that usually goes unseen

3hund is comprised of two german artists, tarek mawad and friedrich van schoor. the duo created the installations — in real time, without the use of CGI — while traveling in iceland, with some scenes shot in austria. in LUCID, 3hund create a bleak and isolated world, but also one that is undeniably beautiful. this juxtaposition is essential to their practice: ‘[mawad & van schoor] share the same passion for nature, adventure and dark melancholic images’, say the duo on their website. ‘the tightrope between beauty, darkness, loneliness is most of the time the starting point for a new project.’ the scenes are staged in a number of ways, using electroluminescent light shapes and wires. by bending the wire, fixing it to a rock face or suspending it in the air using a kite or drone, 3hund simulate a curious range of forms.

throughout, the video is scored by the achingly ethereal music of achim treu, a.k.a UFO hawaii. at times spine-chilling and mournful, treu’s electro-hum soundtrack serves as a suitable mate to its neon counterparts. 

the video is score throughout by achim treu, a.k.a UFO hawaii

almost as engaging as the film itself is the ‘making of’. the likewise beautifully shot film follows the team from one extraordinary locale to the next as they set up the various shapes on site. at times, the quiet ‘making of’ feels more like a patient and thoughtful documentary, following the crew as they track the alien shapes to their natural habitats in the wild. 

‘the idea was to create a surreal world based on simple geometric light shapes that seem misplaced, but somehow blend with its surrounding at the same time’ explain 3hund. ‘shapes that emphasize the mood of it’s surrounding in the most simple way. by installing electroluminescent light shapes and wires in untouched landscapes, a single light source tells a surreal story of magic and loneliness in a surreal and intense way’.

by bending the wire, fixing it a rock face or suspending it in the air, 3hund simulate a curious range of forms

3hund create a bleak and isolated world, but also one that is undeniably beautiful

different colors results in an assortment of different moods and implications

the lights react beautifully with the natural landscape

it’s not always easy to tell if something is 2D or 3D

different shapes suggest different relations to the world

it’s never entirely clear where the light originates from, or where it is traveling to

almost as engaging as the film itself is the ‘making of’

the various installations are staged in a number of ways using electroluminescent light shapes and wires

kites and drones are used to hoist the shapes skyward

the creations include lines, globes, triangles and more

the wire is fixed to the rock face and then partially illuminated

the crew went to great lengths to achieve the various breathtaking shots