Art Lighting Specialists for Negotiating Borders Exhibition

This was the tenth art exhibition at the Korean Cultural Centre that our art lighting specialists at SMA design have assisted with. This included; exhibition layout, various lamp installations and then focusing of the numerous specialist museum light fittings.

The Negotiating Borders art exhibition is founded on the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) in South Korea and its border area with North Korea. Since its creation in 1953, the DMZ has been one of the most heavily militarised areas in the world.

DMZ Project is an evolving contemporary art project about the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between South and North Korea. Artists present their recent works in the exhibition which are challenging the sensitivities, perceptions and realities of a divided Korea.

For our last exhibition “The Moons Tricks” our art lighting specialists had introduced a low cost wall wash lighting design solution to the galleries. This lighting design utilised the existing electrical circuit track to support and connect (very cool white) 6000k LED light battens. This provided a quick, flexible, plus effortlessly detachable even spread wall wash light. This kind of lighting is perfect for contemporary art exhibitions.

However this methodology isn’t always loved by artist and visitors for many contemporary art installations. In part this is due to the light becoming repetitive, lacking in drama or importance. The art works can be better provided by the use of individual spot lighting. With this style every painting or work of art can be given the exact lighting that the artist imagines, without compromise and thereby lighting art perfectly.
Therefore to achieve this it was necessary to remove the LED light battens for the Negotiating Borders Exhibition. Utlising a more traditional art lighting style that was provided by our art lighting specialists.

This consisted of a range of individual spot lights equipped with various temperatures of lamp which could stress the importance of the art works. For example; two art works had gold embroider threads woven into the structure, these were given a warmer white light (2700K) whites whilst others 4000K cool light.

The Korean Culture Centre’s exhibition budgets are limited. Therefore the light fixtures and controls are fairly basic. However with a lighting specialist that is passionate, coupled to a range of quality lamps, filters and some ingenuity, it is possible to achieve a very high standard in order to lighting art perfectly. A superb example of this was demonstrated when one of the artists desired the light to frame only her art pieces; of course this isn’t thinkable without a framing projector or the more basic barn door approach. Neither of these alternatives was available so our art lighting specialist produced his own version, from what was available in the KCC store room.

Both the artists and curators were thrilled with our attention to detail and efforts to achieve perfect art lighting for each and every piece.

Art Lighting Specialist Services

Gallery Lighting Design
Conservation Lighting Design
Gallery Master planning
Feasibility & Concept Development
Exhibition Lighting Design
Art Museum Exhibit Design
Temporary & Traveling Exhibits
Project Management

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