GLOWCTRL - lightdesign with Daslight
Zabra Post-Human Art Research Center, Lisbon
Oct 5 / 2026 · by João Pedro Fonseca
free workshop - Register here luma.com/tkeshifestival
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Facilitator: João Pedro Fonseca
Date: 5th October
Location: ZABRA
Duration: 4h
Schedule: 14:00–16:00 / 16:20–18:20
Description:
This workshop with artist João Pedro Fonseca is a hands-on introduction to lighting design and control, exploring the creative possibilities of working with light in a live performance and event context.
The workshop is divided into two main parts: a theoretical introduction followed by a practical exploration.
The first part introduces the fundamental concepts of lighting control, including how DMX technology works, how lighting fixtures communicate with a computer, and the basic principles behind creating and controlling lighting scenes. Participants will also be introduced to Daslight software and MIDI controllers as tools for designing and operating light.
The second part is fully practical, giving participants the opportunity to work directly with the equipment. They will learn how to set up a basic lighting system, configure fixtures, create lighting scenes and effects, and control them in real time. The use of MIDI controllers will be explored as a more flexible and intuitive way of interacting with light.
Throughout the workshop, particular emphasis will be placed on experimentation and hands-on practice. Participants will be encouraged to explore different possibilities, develop their own lighting ideas, and gain the confidence and autonomy needed to operate a basic lighting system.
The workshop will last approximately 4 hours, including a 20-minute break halfway through.
What will participants learn/do?
- What is this thing?: Introduction to the basic principles of lighting design and control, including how DMX works and how lighting fixtures communicate with a computer.
- Building the first patch: Introduction to Daslight and the process of setting up a basic lighting control system, from connecting and configuring the equipment to creating the first lighting scenes.
- Getting signals in: Understanding the DMX signal flow and how lighting fixtures receive and respond to control data. Participants will also be introduced to MIDI controllers and how they can be used to control lighting in real time.
- Choose your input & Appl
- y it: Participants will experiment with different lighting effects, scenes and parameters, learning how to manipulate light in real time and develop their own lighting ideas.Level
Beginner / No previous experience required.
Final Outcome - what will participants create or experience?
Participants will gain a practical understanding of how a basic lighting control system works and how to operate it using DMX thought computar, Daslight and MIDI controllers.
Through hands-on experimentation, they will create their own lighting scenes and effects and explore different ways of controlling light in real time. The workshop will finish with a practical exploration of how lighting can be used creatively in a performance or event context.
Duration & ideal number of participants
- Duration: Approximately 4 hours, including a 20-minute break.
- Ideal number of participants: 8–10 participants.
Technical requirements - software / equipment needed
- Computer/laptop with Daslight installed - free software Mac or Windows.
About the Facilitator
João Pedro Fonseca is a transdisciplinary artist and researcher whose work explores posthuman politics and speculative philosophies, with a particular focus on the interactions between technology and nature.
He is the co-founder and co-director, alongside artist Carincur, of ZABRA – Posthuman Art Research Centre (2018–present), a Lisbon-based organisation dedicated to artistic creation and critical thinking around the relationships between art, science, and posthumanism.
His practice spans performance, installation, video art, and scenography, bringing together body, machine, and speculative aesthetics through processes of material and conceptual hybridisation.
His most relevant works include ANATOMIA DA EXTINÇÃO (2019), WIRED DREAMS (2023), NO MORE FIREWORKS (2023), and METAVIOLENCE (2025), as well as collaborative works with Carincur, including Jezabel (2024), carne.exe (2025), and Jeffthielmusk® (2026).
His work has been presented in both institutional and independent contexts, in collaboration with organisations and venues including Centro de Arte Moderna – Gulbenkian, Fundação Champalimaud, TNDM II, Futurama, ModaLisboa, Lux Frágil, Sónar Lisboa, Museu Nacional de Arte Contemporânea do Chiado, and Gnration.
He regularly collaborates with creators in the fields of theatre, opera, and dance, contributing to scenic design, lighting design, and video.