2021 Winter Solstice Projection Mapping at Mount Auburn Cemetery
The 2021 Winter Solstice Projection Mapping experience at Mount Auburn Cemetery honored tradition while inviting the community into a powerful moment of reflection and light. On the night of the Winter Solstice, Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts hosted its cherished annual Candle Lighting Service, an event dedicated to remembrance, peace, and renewal.
This gathering continues to evolve each year to embrace themes of the Winter Solstice, the turning of seasonal cycles, and meditations on light returning to the world. For 2021, the ceremony expanded into an immersive, light-based experience that illuminated the historic cemetery grounds with art and intention.
A Modern Interpretation of a Beloved Tradition
To reimagine this meaningful ritual, Mount Auburn Cemetery collaborated with Boston-based MASARY Studios, a media arts group known for creating transformational public art experiences. MASARY introduced new layers of reflection through projection mapping, sound, and light, creating a serene yet deeply emotional atmosphere.
The 2021 service preserved the hallmarks of the Candle Lighting tradition. Guests experienced music, words of comfort, guided moments of stillness, and the symbolic lighting of candles in memory of loved ones. A special memorial projection washed across the exterior of Bigelow Chapel, creating a gentle canvas of remembrance. This visual design, featured in the video above, served as a tribute to those no longer with us.
Projection Mapping as a Medium for Memory
For the 2021 Winter Solstice Projection Mapping display, MASARY Studios envisioned light not only as an artistic tool but as a bridge between memory and energy. The projection work brought quiet beauty to the chapel and surrounding grounds, allowing guests to experience remembrance through both space and sensation.
AVFX was proud to support MASARY Studios and Mount Auburn Cemetery by providing the technical expertise required for precision projection mapping and lighting. Our team worked closely with the creative vision to ensure the projected artwork blended seamlessly with the architecture and the emotional tone of the event.
Honoring Loved Ones Through Light
The Winter Solstice marks the longest night of the year, a moment when communities across cultures pause to acknowledge darkness while welcoming the return of light. The 2021 Winter Solstice Projection Mapping ceremony embraced that symbolism fully, offering a peaceful gathering where families and friends could honor their loved ones in an environment designed to comfort and uplift.
The event underscored the power of combining tradition, technology, and thoughtful design to create connection. We are grateful to MASARY Studios for including AVFX in this meaningful project and to Mount Auburn Cemetery for continuing to cultivate a space where memory is celebrated through artistry and care.
Photos by Aram Boghosian @aramphoto