Interpreting art with light: museum lighting between objectivity and hyperrealism

Each method of museum lighting serves to communicate a conceptionally based approach to art. Even exhibition spaces with a neutral atmosphere represent a particular curatorial attitude, where for example only diffuse daylight is available as the light source or uniformly illuminated walls project a sense of calm. The same applies to highly pervasive accent lighting that presents art as a collection of individual works. The decision about how to interpret the display of artworks with light is however frequently an extended process because highly different interests often clash. Architects demand an acknowledgement of the building itself, curators aim to make a contextual statement about the collection as a whole, collectors as lenders are keen to communicate a particular sense of aesthetics and the artists themselves insist on the suitable display of their individual works. Added to this are various generations of visitors whose general interest in culture hinges on the expressiveness of a presentation.

With light, exhibition organizers are presented with an influential tool that is able to define the atmosphere for viewing art, establish a sense of drama to support its reception and generally contribute to the success of the exhibition. For this reason, the question for all participants rapidly arises as to which criteria should be used to achieve a suitable lighting concept: the light atmosphere within the specific artwork? Or the light in which the work was created? And what is appropriate for art that was originally created in candlelight and that should now be displayed in an attractive way?

The rise of new art forms and other aesthetic ideals is reflected in methods of art communication and in the changes that exhibition concepts have undergone. The innate diversity of art presentations with light ranges from sober, neutral atmospheres achieving an objective impression to hyperrealism and dynamic presentations that celebrate the interaction with cultural assets as experiences. Three factors can be used as criteria when selecting a lighting concept: 1. the content within the artworks, 2. the formal aspects of the image medium and 3. the spatial and temporal surroundings in which the work was created. By analyzing the artwork's brightness, contrast and light atmosphere, curators can specify a similar method of lighting for the room and the exhibit – e.g. rich-contrast accent lighting for expressive Chiaroscuro effects. If on the other hand the size of the artwork and its picture frame are considered, lighting can also be selected that corresponds to the aesthetic approach, for example wide-area wallwashing for large, minimalist paintings or narrow distribution accent lighting for small portraits with striking, historic frames. A suitable color temperature and lighting method can also be derived from the particular era and its historic background, e.g. either natural daylight or candlelight in a studio. An important criterion with light when aiming for authentic presentations is the question of whether the artist perceived the artwork in that way at the time of creating the work, whether the lighting concept being considered could lead to a falsifying of the artistic statement and whether the lighting solution distracts from the essential reception of the art.

Further information on the historical development of architecture and exhibition design, details on lighting design as well as references for further reading can be found here.