Exhibition Lighting Designers
Contemporary Art Installations

Our exhibition lighting designers have been back for our third contemporary lighting design project at the Korean Cultural Centre UK.

2016 KCCUK Open Call II: The Flat, Flat, Shiny Cat exhibition brings together Hyemin Son & John Reardon for a contemporary art installation, exploring the various concepts of rhythm and slowness.

This show had a vast diversity of contemporary art installations which created many challenges. For example, the art installation named “Ruins” was made of 6 huge rectangular boxes (cuboids) replicating the existing boxed in water tank found in the corner of the gallery.

Due to the size & weight of the boxes and a ceiling height of only 3.2 meters meant adjusting light fittings to light the various art installations would be almost impossible once completely installed.

Therefore a fast lighting design solution had to be found by our expert exhibition lighting designers.

This consisted of using a selection of light fittings in various locations as each element of the art installation went into place.

Therefore at the outset, there had to be a clear understanding between artists and the lighting designer on how the art installation should be lit.

The lighting design chosen was dramatic, adding the drama of shadow and bright elements to this powerful art installation to the delight of both artists. This was all the more important as the art was in a street-facing gallery, viewed by exhibition visitors and passers-by as they walked to Trafalgar Square.  

With the newly upgraded light fittings, lamps and filters it was possible to use these and various temperatures of white lamps 4000K & 5000K to optimise the various arts on display.

This was particularly important on the main entrance wall where the contemporary art installations and signage were as one. LED ribbons were painstakingly installed in varying lengths at the back of the lettering to create a pink glow from behind the title of the exhibition. The white wall behind the title was then washed with 5000K LED light fittings combined with wall washer filters to create a more even spread of light.

In another section of the gallery and as part of the art installation, a visual artist performed her choreographed routine to incorporate a hula hoop, representational of that used in the exhibition. A raised wooden stage was built with a backdrop of white satin cloth for her to perform on.

The artists wanted the backdrop to look ice-cold and sparkle. So once again our exhibition lighting designers used vivid cool white lamps directed to the cloth whilst other fittings bounced light off of the stage to achieve a consistent wall wash at the bottom.

This approach also gave a little theatrical lighting to emphasise the performer who was watched excitedly by visitors on the street.

Other Exhibition Lighting Designers Exhibitions You Might Like to View

Click on images on the righthand side of the screen or related links.

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