The Differences between Lighting Art, Circus and Retail

ART

When lighting art (Paintings) the most important aspect to consider is allowing the painting to be in view to an audience. As the artist has created the painting with a specific design and with certain colours in mind, it is very important not to convey meaning through the lights. i.e. semiotics. The painting must be viewed only as the artist intended. Therefore when lighting art, it is vital that no designing decisions be made. No artistic decisions should be made as colour and specials takes away from the art that is hung, all that is required is to create the most naturalistic lighting possible for the paintings to be viewed in.

In lighting art, the position of the lamp, and the bulb used is key. 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.

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 is very similar to lighting art in that its purpose is to allow the products on sale to be seen by an audience/shopper. However, more recently shops are using specials and colours to further this effect and also create an ‘artistic; feel and allowing the lighting of the shop to be as important as the products on sale.

Similar to lighting Art, lights will be used to view the product. For example, pin spots or Parcans aimed at clothes to allow them to be seen, however, similar to The Circus, colour will be used to generate meaning. For example a women’s lingerie store, the light’s will have a pink gel in them to connote femininity, or be aimed at a mirror or a glass chandelier as this will create a bright white effect, connoting innocence and purity. Women shopping in this store may be inclined to purchase more if they feel that these products will make them feel/look innocent or feminine. Also specials are used to not only create this effect, but to add to the decor of the store. For example in the store ‘Boux Avenue’ which sells women’s clothes. All of the lamp shades were made up of a white, almost clear necklace material. This created a white shiny effect, again connoting innocence and purity, but this also stood out as a centrepiece of the store, acting as a piece of art as well as a lighting device.

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