A critical review of the contemporary Art Exhibition 'The light Show' in Hayward Gallery - Essay Example

Contemporary Art Exhibition The light Show in Hayward Gallery Hayward Gallery ‘Light Show’ Art historical contextualizationThe ‘light Show in Hayward Gallery is a light art experience that has brought about the dazzling and frazzling lights and colour illumination that takes the visitors beyond moon (Searle, 2013:n.p.). The light show brings the essence of light perception into life, with a combination of sculptures and installations that shapes the space in different ways (Hayward Gallery, 2013:3). Rather than the traditional artwork where physically tangible materials formed the basis of artists work, the The light Show in Hayward Gallery is a complete transformation into the concept of modern application of light as a medium of art (Lauson, 2013:27). The ability of the art to transform space and to influence and alter perceptions through the application of modern materials that had not been polluted by the traditional art, forms the basis of the The light Show in Hayward Gallery. Thus, the application of fluorescent tubes and Neon tubes struck the world in the early 1960s as the means through which the materials that had not been used before became the basis of creating an optical environment that has enabled making of the intangible materials into more tangible substance achievable (Hayward Gallery, 2013:4). The combination of Dan Flavin’s ‘electric light art’ that applies the fluorescent tubes, with the François Morellet’s Neon tubes and the Carlos Cruz-Diez concept of Chromosaturation installations, as well as the Bill Culbert time-based installations of light bulbs are aspects of the light Show in Hayward Gallery that has made the psychological response to illumination and colour a more conceptual and sensual experience for the art audience (Hayward Gallery, 2013:3). Description of the Hayward Gallery ‘Light Show’ artwork The Contemporary Art Exhibition Art Exhibition, The light Show in Hayward Gallery forms atmospheric light installations and intangible art sculptures that the audience can go through. The light installations and the combination of the light bulbs, the Neon tubes and the fluorescent tubes enables the visitors to experience the mystery of light as a tool for art, in its sensory and spatial forms (South Bank Centre, 2013:n.p.). For every individual artwork that is presented in the light Show in Hayward Gallery, there are different light aspects that are covered and demonstrated, which range from the colour , the light intensity, light duration, the light projection and the light perceptual phenomena (Hayward Gallery, 2013:3). The major themes presented by the light Show in Hayward Gallery are political and conceptual concerns, with almost artworks in the gallery using the concept of artificial art to conjure up the individual perceptual responses for the visitors to the gallery. The light Show in Hayward Gallery comprises of the application of a series of high light technologies to address the issues of architecture, film and science in a manner that is not possible to do, using the traditional artwork materials and techniques (Grant, 2011:77). The essence of the light Show in Hayward Gallery is to create visually stimulating artworks, which alters the state of the mind and also affect the visual perception of light and colors by the individual visitors, thus enabling the visitors to have a completely different perspective of the world around us. Although the light show concept of art developed in the 1960s, it has evolved over time, and the current light Show in Hayward Gallery features the artworks created in recent years, by well known artists, while also presenting some rare artworks that have not been seen in recent decades, which are specially created for the Hayward Gallery Light Shows (Hayward Gallery, 2013:3). The light shows can comprise of pure light artworks, or a combination of sculptures and light, to deliver the different themes as formulated by different individual artists exhibiting in the gallery. This combination provides an evocative environment, which in turn plays tricks with the minds and visual perceptions of the individual visitors to the light Show in Hayward Gallery, through the creation of intangible and interactive atmospheric art pieces and sculptures, that the visitors can walk into, through or around (South Bank Centre, 2013:n.p.). The light shows in the gallery cuts across all artistic media including music, to transform everyday materials and actions into sensory and visually stimulating meditations in the minds of the visitors that allows them to perceive the invisible structures that shape our everyday lives (Searle, 2013:n.p.). The light Show in Hayward Gallery features the works of 22 artists, where flashing lights, strobe and even mist lights may form part of the exhibitions, while some of the individual artist’s exhibitions requires attentiveness and patience, before they fully reveal themselves (Hayward Gallery, 2013:4). There is an application of artificial light in almost all the 22 artworks, whose contents invites the visitors to wonder at, to contemplate or to investigate illuminated environments and sculptures. This is meant to develop a sense of visual world interaction that goes beyond the daily visual perceptions of individuals, into more intimate and sensual interaction with the rest of the non-visual world which also shapes the everyday lives of people, in a manner that is not so apparent, where attentiveness and awareness of the role of light as a medium of art is missing (Lauson, 2013:35). Therefore, the light Show in Hayward Gallery is a contemporary art exhibition which has taken great strides to depart from the traditional confounding artworks and art techniques, by incorporating light as the major medium of the artwork that was rarely applied traditionally (South Bank Centre, 2013:n.p.). While avoiding the polluted materials that were applied in the traditional artworks, the light Show in Hayward Gallery introduces the contemporary concept of light as the new medium that is not polluted and whose material was rarely applied traditionally, as a way of bringing both the imaginative and the real world closer to the minds of the audience (Terry, 2011:44). In this respect, the light Show in Hayward Gallery calls upon the visitors to the gallery to reconsider their relationship with their surroundings, by making the atmospheric and intangible environment one of the most substantially, sensory and visually tangible environments, that requires that the visitors to the light Show in Hayward Gallery reconsiders the way the visitors sees the world around them (Hayward Gallery, 2013:4). Interpretations of five of the popular artworks by individual artists Leo Villareal’s Cylinder II (2012) The Leo Villareal’s Cylinder II (2012) is a feature comprising light and movements that have been composed by complex computer programming, to form some composed musical score (Hayward Gallery, 2013:6). The musical score of lights comprises of white LED flashes that forms a matrix of endlessly patterns and shapes that keeps changing, to evoke meteor showers, fireworks, falling snow, swarming clouds and rainy busts, all meant to establish a feeling and touch of natural phenomena (Hayward Gallery, 2013:6). The light artwork is made tangible through the support of invisible hanging rods that are arranged to form a concentric ring, within which the light displays perform as if confined within the boundaries of the skeletal columns (Hayward Gallery, 2013:6). The main objective of the Leo Villareal’s Cylinder II (2012) light show exhibition is to display the changes in speed and intensity of light, as a major component of art formulation (Hayward Gallery, 2013:6). The white lights operating within the concentric ring keeps rising and falling, changing speed and the intensity of the light, starting with dimming and then becoming brighter, in a pattern that is never repeating. This make it possible for the visitors to keep watching a series of ever-changing light display patterns that allows them to meditate and reflect on the natural phenomena such as rain, falling snow, meteor showers and falling clouds, in a way that is not possible under the natural settings (Hayward Gallery, 2013:6). Leo Villareal’s Cylinder II (2012) David Batchelor’s Dusk in Las Vegas David Batchelor’s Dusk in Las Vegas is the presentation of the magical hour when the sun goes down and the lights comes up in the city of Las Vegas (Hayward Gallery, 2013:7). This artwork represents an extraordinary spectacle that colours the twilight sky above, using a combination of artificial lights to eventually produce a radiation of multicoloured luminance. The main objective of the David Batchelor’s Dusk in Las Vegas is the presentation and demonstration of the synthetic colours that are characteristics of the twilight in modern cities, in a manner that the audience is not able to perceive naturally (Hayward Gallery, 2013:7). It is a unique demonstration of vivid colours and the way they co-exists and mix with darkness to produce multicoloured light luminance that is not possible to exist either artificially or naturally, but has to work as a combination of the artificial lighting and the natural darkness, to form such a combined radiation (Hayward Gallery, 2013:7). David Batchelor’s Dusk in Las Vegas is the formation of a colour scheme that is neither dissembled nor purely dethatched, but the formation of both producing a colour scheme that reflects the states of the twilight sky in the modern cities, which are often lit in a range of multicoloured artificial lights that combine with natural darkness to create the range of multicoloured city radiation after the sun goes down (Hayward Gallery, 2013:7). The David Batchelor’s Dusk in Las Vegas is a formation of the multicoloured modern city twilight sky through the use of street materials such as discarded light boxes, exit signs and shop signs that are them re-light and combined with monochromic opaque, transparent or translucent panes, to create the multicoloured artwork formation (Hayward Gallery, 2013:77). David Batchelor’s Dusk in Las Vegas Anthony McCall’s You and I, Horizontal (2005) The Anthony McCall’s You and I, Horizontal (2005) is a solid light installation exhibition, which incorporates the viewer as part of the light show, where a video projector, a haze machine and computer scripting are applied as the main medium through which the solid light exhibition is attained (Hayward Gallery, 2013:10). The final product of these mediums is a formation of a large solid light sculpture, where the audience can walk through, go around or go into, in a more film characteristic form, considering that the image projected of the viewer will change depending on whether the viewer walks through, into or around the light sculpture (Hayward Gallery, 2013:10). Thus, the combination of the light pattern and the activities of the viewer produce a ‘solid-light’ film, and the major objective of the Anthony McCall’s You and I, Horizontal (2005) light is to demonstrate one of the most irreducible and necessary conditions of films, which is the projected light (Hayward Gallery, 2013:10). Therefore, this light show exhibition applies the same principle of projecting the light applied in films, to combine and then separate a line, an ellipse and a travelling wave in a three-dimensional space, to emerge with a complex sculptural form through a state continuous, yet slow mutation (Hayward Gallery, 2013:10). Anthony McCall’s You and I, Horizontal (2005) François Morellet’s Lamentable (2006) The François Morellet’s Lamentable (2006) is an elegant neon sculpture that features eight sections of a circle that are dislocated which are then suspended through a cord fixed on the ceiling, with one arc dangling from another (Hayward Gallery, 2013:9). The effect is the formation of a dangling circle sculpture that hangs in a pitiful and lamentable way, majorly as a formation of neon and other electric lights. The main objective of the François Morellet’s Lamentable (2006) light show exhibition is to explore the possibility of artificial light, in regard to optics and rhythms that are created through random interference of the light (Hayward Gallery, 2013:9). The configuration of light in different patterns as well as the incorporation of the movement of the light serves as a major exploration undertaken by this artwork. In this respect, the François Morellet’s Lamentable (2006) is an artwork meant to demonstrate the architectural and spatial characteristics of light movement, seeking to play with the viewers’ perception of the space (Hayward Gallery, 2013:9). François Morellet’s Lamentable (2006) Bill Culbert’s Bulb Box Reflection II (1975) The Bill Culbert’s Bulb Box Reflection II (1975) is a series of visually puzzling artwork consisting of light bulbs in a one mirror way (Hayward Gallery, 2013:13). At a glance this light show exhibition does not appear to present anything more than the reflection of a light bulb on a mirror, but the mystery in the whole of this exhibition scenario is that the reflection is lighting, while the bulb by itself is not lit (Hayward Gallery, 2013:13). The major theme presented by the Bill Culbert’s Bulb Box Reflection II (1975) light exhibition, is the theme of the investigation of the effect of the combination of incandescence, latency and translucency with shadows, in forming a masterpiece light artwork (Hayward Gallery, 2013:13). This theme is explored as a major component of sculpture installation and photography. The exploration first entailed experimentation with electric light, but soon incorporated a combination of other objects that include lampshades, fluorescent tubes and eventually plastic containers (Hayward Gallery, 2013:13). The essence of the Bill Culbert’s Bulb Box Reflection II (1975) artwork exhibition is that; it has exploited a different theme, where light is not applied to make it possible to see the sculpture in the artwork, but has been used as the sculpture itself (Hayward Gallery, 2013:13). Bill Culbert’s Bulb Box Reflection II (1975) Assessment and critique of the Hayward Gallery ‘Light Show’ Art Exhibition The major strength with the contemporary ‘light Show in Hayward Gallery Art Exhibition is a concept that has made it possible to demonstrate the artistic value of light as a medium of forming and facilitating the display of artwork sculptures in a more advanced manner than was practically possible in the traditional art (Terry, 2011:49). The application of light as a medium to sculpt and shape space in different ways characterises most of the artwork displayed in the Hayward Gallery ‘light Show, and every single artwork has been able to demonstrate the role of light in shaping the space through different themes, presentations and demonstrations. The other strength associated with the light show is that; it serves to present light as an artistic medium that can be manipulated variously through different light technologies, to effectively display a variety of artworks and art themes (Lauson, 2013:22). This is opposed to the traditional materials that were applied as artistic mediums, which could not be modified in numerous ways as happens with the light concept (Grant, 2011:77). Further, the ‘light Show in the Hayward Gallery is an essential milestone in the field of art, which has made it possible to establish artwork masterpieces displayed in multiple dimensions, as opposed to the traditional art mediums which could only be displayed in limited dimensions (Lauson, 2013:51). The final strength that is associated with the ‘light Show in Hayward Gallery is that the light show has been able to stimulate the sensory, psychological and the sensual aspect of the viewers in a manner not possible with the traditional artwork, considering that the light shows have been able to incorporate the viewers and visitors as a component part of the artwork and sculpture itself, as opposed to the traditional artwork where the viewer merely plays a spectator role (Terry, 2011:42). The major weakness associated with the ‘light Show in the Hayward Gallery is that some of the art exhibitions comprises of “artificial mist, flashing or strobe lighting” (Hayward Gallery, 2013:4). Such artificial light components may interfere with the visual and sensory aspects of the viewers’ eyes, which in turn may result to negative visual health implications, which were not part of the side effects of the traditional art. Secondly, some of the ‘light Show in Hayward Gallery requires more protective health measures such as wearing shoe covers on a mandatory basis, owing to the potential harmful health effect that might be suffered by the viewers (Hayward Gallery, 2013:12). References Grant P. (2011) contemporary British Art: An Introduction. Routledge, 2011. Hayward Gallery (April 28th, 2013). Light Show exhibition guide, 1-32. Retrieved March 24, 2014 from http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk//sites/default/files/light-exhibition-guide-130306 Lauson, C. (2013) Hayward Gallery, Light show. London : Hayward Publishing. Searle, A. (January 28, 2013) ‘How the Hayward Gallerys Light Show monkeys with your eyeballs’, The Guardian. Retrieved March 24, 2014 from http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2013/jan/28/hayward-gallery-light-show-exhibition South Bank Centre. (May 6, 2013). ‘Light Show: Hayward Gallery’, Retrieved March 24, 2014 from http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whatson/light-show-69759 Terry S. (2011). Contemporary Art: World Currents. Lawrence King. Read More