Lighting Art

Staging artwork in exhibitions effectively in the best possible light depends on many factors . The approach of exhibition organisers and curators is to present the exhibits in as neutral a light as possible. As art is becoming more and more popular, a wide range of tools are now available to light it effectively and appropriately.

The design and construction of museums has developed into a showcase discipline of architecture. Projects such as the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao alter the perception of whole regions and, as a result, also their economic reality. Light not only makes art visible, it adds impressive scenography. It is vital to allow the art to be viewed in natural light as the artist has created the piece with a desire to convey a specific meaning. It is therefore important that no specials are used when lighting art as this will take away from the painting. An ‘audience‘ member should view the painting as the artist intended.

It is important that when lighting art, as little light as possible is focusses on the artwork itself. This can at times damage the painting depending on what bulbs are being used. To avoid this, exhibition organisers must in this case light the walls in which the paintings are being hung. Special lighting tools are required for illuminating vertical surfaces absolutely evenly. A technique known as ‘vertical illuminance‘ is used to ‘wall wash‘ the surface with light.

Vertical Illuminance is an important element in architecture for defining space and volume with light. Using a horizontal lighting plan can produce a subdued atmosphere whereas Vertical Illuminance creates a brighter impression in a room since walls are often brighter than floors and create a stronger visual impact.

Vertical luminance is suitable for a host of situations, one of which is wall washing in galleries. The ‘Wall Washing’ technique, uniformly lights the wall from ceiling to floor emphasising the surface as a whole.

Wall washing with focal emphasis creates an additional lighting emphasis in the upper third of the wall Seen in the picture below. This is ideal when lighting walls for galleries as the painting will be usually hung on this section of the wall. This lights the painting but does not directly angle the beam onto the art work as this would potentially damage the art.

As Specials and colour is very rarely used in art, the bulb is what is most important. Xenon, Halogen and Incandescent bulbs are most commonly used in galleries and museums as they allow you to most accurately see the colours in the paintings.

LED Bulbs are also used as they give out the best light, and the beam is not damaging to the painting, however LED lights are very expensive.

Above are three images of the same painting lit by a different bulb. It is clear to see that the bulb is very important as each version of the same painting conveys a different meaning and message. The painter would have had a specific idea/meaning and message he wished to convey and so it is important to capture this.

It is also a popular myth that light’s hung in a museum and gallery are focused on the painting when in actual fact, the lights aim around the painting as directly focusing a beam on a painting can eventually damage a painting over time.

As Lighting Art is becoming more and more popular, new lanterns are being invented especially for this use. The Company Erco specialises in these kinds of lighting fixtures and they focus on the lense type to light different types of art.

Narrow spotUsed to accentuate small objects with high light intensity or to project over greater distances between the luminaire and the target object. Beam angle < 10°. 

SpotThis is the standard characteristic for accent lighting for objects of all kinds, especially to re-veal the three-dimensional shape. Beam angle: 10°-20°. 

FloodUsed for efficient accentuation of large objects or to uniformly emphasise a complete spatial zone. Beam angle: 25°-35°. 

Wide floodUsed for flexible, flooding illumination of surface areas and spatial zones, especially useful for the presentation of goods. Beam angle > 45°

Oval floodThe oval flood Spherolit lens produces a wide-beam, axially symmetrical light distribution. It produces an oval beam of about 20° by 60°. 

WallwashThe light intensity distribution of the lens wallwasher is designed to provide very high uniformi-ty. 

Erco also distribute a wide variety of lighting fixtures:

Opton: Featuring ERCOs exclusive Spherolit technology, which is easily replaced without tools, Opton produces different light distribution patterns for flexible lighting solutions. Thanks to its modular design, Opton is particularly suitable for situations with frequently changing lighting requirements, such as in shop windows. The horizontal position of the compact control gear, in combination with the compact luminaire head, reduces its height thereby making it particularly suitable for rooms with low ceilings. Innovative Spherolit technology and low operating costs make Opton an economical investment. Depending on the lamp used, Opton is available either with a flat or a conical luminaire head. Below are images of the Opton in use:

Pollux: The Pollux product range solves a diversity of lighting tasks running the gamut from accentuation through to light effects produced by gobos. Using the framing attachment for the projection spotlights, the lighting can be individually adjusted to suit the format of images. Colour filters and gobos create coloured light effects as well as the projection of patterns, images and logos. The compact format of Polux makes it perfect even for small rooms whether in sales areas, in the catering industry or in homes. Below are images of The Pollux in use:

THE CIRCUS

Circus is very similar to the theatre in many aspects; however there is never just one specific theme or style. A circus is made up of a variety of acts and each act will have its own theme and style and when these are lit, different things should be considered.

Unlike lighting Art, performers must be lit, and the way they are lit should be relevant to the theme of their act. Specials and colours are crucial when creating meaning and lighting performers.

As most circuses are set in the round, when creating a general wash a series of profiles will be used to light the space generally. However with each act, different lights and styles will be used. For example:

An Acrobatic performance will use a wide variety of lights and techniques to not only light the large amount of action within the circle, but to also match the excitement of the act. Additional spotlights will be used to pick out certain performers, but similar to a dance performance, side lighting will be used. Using Parcans and perhaps gels (this will depend on other creative choices such as music/concept/costume) on booms to light the performers (heads/mids /legs). Parcans are more likely to be used during an acrobatic performance as the create the brightest beam of light, and with so many performers performing they will all need to be lit, and also colour is often used in these performers and gels work best in Parcans as they give a brighter wash of colour.

Many colours used in an acrobatic performers will be reds, pinks, yellows as they are often synonymous with the circus, but the brightness focuses the audience attention on the performance space.

However, in a Magician’s performance, as there is very few people on stage, sometimes just the one, fewer lights are used. In many cases the performer may just be lit by one or two spot lights, and the rest of the stage in darkness. Colour in these performances is used more for their connotations rather than their brightness. For example, blue to connote mystery and the unknown, whereas red will connote danger in a high risk magic trick.

Lighting a circus is very different to lighting art in many different ways. When lighting Art, it must be very naturalistic, and the light is only for the sole purpose of allowing the audience to see the painting or sculpture as the painter intended. However, when lighting a circus, the lighting is as integral to the performance as the acts. As a circus is advertised as a spectacle, many different lights are used with many different specials and gels to increase and elevate the spectacle of the performance. Giving a ‘wow’ factor.

However, in an art exhibition, it is only the art that the audience has come to see, so specials are unnecessary. Also, some specials may damage the art and take away from ‘spectacle’ and feel of the painting.

RETAILLighting retail bares many resemblances to lighting art. A purpose of which is to allow the products being sold to be viewed by an ‘audience’/shopper. However lighting retail also lends from other genres with the use of specials, creating moods and using semiotics.

An example of which is below from the store ‘Boux Avenue’

The ceiling lights had shades on them that were made from glossy white ceramic plates, almost resembling series of necklaces. The reflection of the beam through all the different plates, created a very white and pure light. Combined with the series of mirrors and white painted walls, a colour theme of white was presented throughout. White connoting innocence and purity suggests that the store is trying to make a statement that Lingerie is an innocent and natural thing to buy. As appose to the reds and blacks (lust and passion) that can be seen in the windows of ‘Ann Summers’. The Mirrors and glass lamp shades were also heavily featured throughout the store. Using the LED lights to reflect the beam, creating a shiny and sparkling effect speaks to the female the gender that the store is aiming their products at. Women are stereotypically attracted to shiny things, and so by creating a shining effect around their products would potentially make women want to buy the lingerie. There was also a selection of shelves in front of a Cyc which was back lit, possibly with a flood or Parcan with a pink gel. This created a baby pink effect in the corner of the room. In Western Society Pink is considered synonymous with femininity. So combined with the reflection of the glass and mirrors with the pink hue highlighted the

femininity in the product and draws women who consider themselves more feminine to buy the product

Another example below is from the store ‘Ted Baker’:

The pin spots with barn doors isolated clothes and accessories on pedestals using the barn doors. This made the product appear in a brighter light than the rest of the otherwise dimly lit room. This, combined with the visual aid of the pedestal suggested the product was important and extravagant. The light added to the importance of the item which would make a customer feel as though the item should be bought, simply because of its perceived importance with the light and pedestal. The Fitting room sign was made from a Neon strip light. The strip light was not in fitting with other aspects of the light, but gave the fitting rooms a young and ‘hipper’ vibe. Similar lights are used in bar’s in city bar scenes and therefore making a shopper feel younger and trendier just being in the shop. The compliment this

gives a shopper might increase their chances to purchase something from the store. The strip light was

yellow, the colour itself connoting happiness and joy. This suggests that those shopping and having clothes fitted are happy.The hanging glass lights were all connected with red ribbon that span round the shades and through the wires. Although this did nothing to the light/beam, it did however take some focus away from the clothes as it looked like a piece of modern or abstract art. This would perhaps make a shopper stay in the store longer as they are viewing not only the clothes but the piece of art that is the light source.

Similar to lighting the circus, colour is used to create atmosphere and meaning with our understanding of semiotics. However, in Retail, the colour creates a more personal response for a shopper, often complimenting them or creating an atmosphere in which they wish to make a purchase. The Circus However, colour is used to add meaning to what is happening on the stage. Specials used in retail differ from anything used in Art and The Circus as they

act as aspects of the set themselves. The lamp shades act as decorative features to entice the shopper into the store and perhaps make a purchase. Many of these specials, for example the white lamp shades from Boux Avenue, also help add colour, which again, uses a viewer’s understanding of semiotics to enhance their experience in the store.

Both The Circus and Retail use lights as a spectacle, and as part of the ‘performance’ and experience of the ‘show’. However when lighting Art, it is important that lighting does not take away from the art work, as this is the ‘performance’ the viewer has come to see.