Goodnight Raleigh has received  reports about some colorful activity observed on Hillsborough St. last night. “I saw hundreds — make that, thousands — of colors emanating from the D.H. Hill Library book tower. They were moving back and forth, to and fro, mixing and blending — it was quite a sight!” one passerby told us. No, our source was not experiencing an encounter of the third kind, nor an ‘encounter’ of any other kind. What he witnessed was the first testing of the lighting sequencing of the famed Joe Cox Color Wall.

The Hillsborough St. public art landmark underwent an extensive restoration over the summer. The centerpiece of the project was the installation of a Smartswtch digital light sequencing controller. It has been programmed with Cox’s original 1972 design for the Color Wall. On Thursday night the restored system was tested for the first time since its installation. By all accounts the test was a success. Among those in attendance was Raleigh architect and College of Design professor, Frank Harmon, who exclaimed, “This is beautiful — perfect.”  

And it indeed is. In case you missed Thursday night’s brief colorful display, do not despair. You can partake of the Color Wall experience at the official relighting in a couple weeks. The event will be a part of the greater Hillsborough Street Reopening Celebration to be held on Sept. 25.

Two Hillsboro St. passersby enjoy the full Color Wall experience Thursday night.

 Photos by John Morris (except for the last one, which is by Raleigh Boy)