lots of books have sections on museum both theater and archectural lighting based. The IESNA/NECA I'm sure would be a prime source for papers and articles on the subject & have by now lots of stuff on the subject.
Done some looking at museums and noting myself, much less installs at times. Even at one
point helped someone on and off
line on the Phillips Forum come up with a cool moon light
effect in the past which Wolf helped with.
A sampling of books might be:
-Building for the Arts, a Guidebook for the Planning and Design of Cultural Facilities
-Museum and Art
Gallery Lighting, (100pp) ISBN: 0-87995-132-X IESNA #RP-30-96
-Lighting For Historic Buildings, by Roger W. Moss; The Preservation Press. Washington D.C. 1988 pp 11-27
-The Beauty of Light, by Ben Bova; John Wiley & Sons, Inc. N.Y. 1988
I also have a copy I'll post of a source/outline I attended while at school I don't think otherwise availale below in posting since I don't think it is otherwise out there. Museum lighting design... really cool, a field I will have loved to do more of other than
lobby lighting for the theater which I did a lot of in the past but wasn't the same.
Museum and
Gallery Lighting: A Debate Between Natural and Artificial Light
Outline of Speech from Unknown Author. - Advanced Lighting Design Illinois State University. c.1994
Also: Lighting Dimensions, Jan. 1989 “Museum Daylighting” by Barry H. Slinker
Museum and
Gallery Lighting: A Debate Between Natural and Artificial Light
I. History of Museum Lighting:
A. 15th Century - Museums Began to Exhibit Artwork.
1. Used natural lighting in the beginning
2. 1879 -
Edison’s
electric light was available for use.
B. Transition to
Electric Lighting:
1. Post WWII - tendency to use only a central courtyard, w/artificially lit galleries (Example: Victoria and Albert Museum, London)
2. Many galleries were void of natural light at this time.
3. Last 10 years, museums combine
daylight, supplemented with
electric light. (Example: Art Institute of Chicago; new
wing at the Louvre)
III. Sides of the Issue:
A.
Daylight
1. Exposes natural elements of artwork, especially southern “warm” light.
2. Sunlight and UV rays damage paintings - they crack,
fade, discolor, and shrink. Art is best preserved in the dark, but unable to be seen like this. Northern “blue” light distorts the reception of color and texture.
B.
Electric Light:
1. Less UV rays.
2. Natural elements of artwork cannot be fully revealed. Psychological and emotional elements are lessened.
IV. Trends in Modern Museum Lighting:
A. Laminated Laylight - glass panels on the ceiling. Skylights with membranes which filter out UV rays.
B. Tempered Glass: reflects UV rays away from direct contact with artwork.
C. Adjustable Shutters: moderate the amount of light.
D. Bouncing Light off Interior Surfaces: reduces UV rays. Painted walls reflect only
5-10% of UV rays. Double bouncing reduces the UV to visible light ratio to under artificial sources’ ratios.
V. Example of Modern Museum Lighting:
A. Art Institute of Chicago - 1984 renovations.
1. Objective
a. To improve natural and artificial lighting
b. To conserve energy
c. To replace glass roof
2. Reduced Glass in Roof by 60%. For control of temperature and humidity. Single glazed glass in roof was replaced by double - glazed with a framed metal roof. Heat
gain was reduced by 80%. Roof combined
vision glass (
clear) and spandrel glass (opaque). 99% of UV rays were filtered out.
3. Laylights (Sky Light) Installed. Each laylight composed of 2 plastic and 2 glass layers. Reduced UV ratio while allowing in the visible spectrum. Acrylic prismatic lenses distribute light evenly on the walls.
4. Light had to be reduced to 40 fc., the maximum amount that does not cause damage. In the winter, the galleries receive only about 8 fc.
5.
Track lighting below laylight and fluorescents above them provide a smooth transition from natural to artificial light.
6. 1/3 of the height of the museum is now between the roof and the laylights. Light is given room to
bounce before entering the space. Laylights soften the light further to give aesthetic warmth.
B. Museum of Indian Arts and Culture, Santa Fe.
1. Incorporates feel for surrounding environment and nature with Southwest Indian Art.
2. “Warm” Southern Light Allowed Through Steppes of Glass Rows. Louvers are raised in the summer, lowered in the winter.. These
bounce the sunlight off the ceiling to reduce UV rays.
3.
Clear Double-Glazed Glass in Skylights and Windows use
Daylight Spectrum.
4. Light in the space responds to change in the weather and sky.
C. Menil Collection in Huston (1987 Renovations)
1. Dominique de Menil - wanted “Lively light”, preventing a cold view of art. Light source and manipulation is considered artwork as well in this space.
2. Roof is a metal
grid with trusses thin enough to prevent shadows.
3. Skylights have double-layered glass. Bottom layer is UV filtered lamination. Top layer is reflective of incoming light.
4. trusses made of “leaves”, which hang at an angle from trusses. Bottom of leaves are finished with a granular compound, which disperses light reflected more evenly. Top sides are polished to
bounce light out of the space.
5. Air ducts take out heat; louvers
bounce UV rays out of the space before they enter.
6. Light in
gallery sensitive to changes in weather and time.
7.
System of aluminum panels can be used,
fitting them into channels on the skylights, to eliminate
daylight totally.
8. Side windows are like skylights, without the reflective panes. Curators plan to install fabric frames which pivot to
bounce light as it enters the windows. Blinds will be installed to obscure exterior views.
D. The debate of how much light is too much verses preservation is still going on. On one
hand the less light there is, the more chance the colors will not
fade thus preserving the work for future generations
1. Without proper lighting, there is no art, or at least what was done is not as visible and thus not available to be appreciated as well.
2. Other than the light the work was originally done in, or intended for, there is no happy medium between the preservation and the spotlight.
3. Key example to this is, the lighting in some of the chapels and cathedrals in Florence, Italy. In an effort to raise money, and prevent too much light from falling on the artwork, much of the lighting is provided in the “penny-alley cinema arcade” style. The artwork is lit if at all to an absolute minimum until you
drop a coin into the slot, then it is lit (rather badly) by
halogen work lights or the like for a few moments. In between the flashing lights and the short duration of the all too white
carbon arc like light, the artwork is washed out. The harsh whiteness of the work-light I am sure cancels out any preservation the work gets by being dark also. In these places, natural light is not available much due to the building construction, artificial light had to be available, but also over the centuries has also contributed soot to darken the work it was showing. Given the lack of natural light, proper lighting for these places must be equal to the
torch, candle and wale oil
lantern oil light of the day, dim but golden to properly show off the work.
“The absolute presentation of artwork would dictate that it be kept in the dark, deterioration being directly proportional to the lengeh and
intensity of exposure.” But “becaise accirate color rendition is important for viewing art, it is better to use a full spectrum source such as sunlight and filter out the ultraviolet light.”
“The correct formula for daylighting and natural lighting is yet to be established”. - Barry H Slinker
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