Light in the Museum of Art
Ph.D.Thesis (together w/ Levin Michael)
ABSTRACT:
Of all the materials and components involved in designing museums of
art, the most essential is light. Art museums, besides being culturally
important, hold a place of honor in the professional architectural
arena due to the immense design challenge generated by this building
type namely the way the exhibition spaces are lighted. This research
explores the factors that affect the appearance of the art exhibition
space and that shape our perceptions of it. The research addresses the
different qualities of natural and artificial light in relation to
their influence on the exhibition space and on the viewer's experience
of the exhibited art.
The research employs a number of different research methodologies
suited to the theoretical, empirical and experimental aspects of the
work. These methodologies include: Historical-comparative research,
Theoretical and aesthetical research, Qualitative and quantitative
research. This research has developed a unique strategy for exploring
and analyzing the qualities of light in the art exhibition space, based
on the approach known as experimental phenomenology. Using this
approach for the study of light in architecture, the research looks at
five different case studies of art museums built during the second half
of the 20th century. In each case, the specific conditions that have
led to success or failure in the design and building of the museum are
elaborated, and the importance of natural light in this process is
elucidated.
The research includes an experimental chapter on one of the case
studies, the Ein Harod Museum, Israel, which is seeking to undergo a
light restoration project. The research explores how different
state-of-the-art natural light technologies could restore the original
quality of light within the framework of requirements for the
conservation and display of the museum's exhibitions. Using qualitative
and quantitative methods, the research examines and compares these
technologies so as to provide a set of tools for the museum designer.
The work concludes with a discussion of various issues arising from the
different aspects of light in the museum of art. The discussion
highlights the differences in character between natural and artificial
light, stressing the irreplaceable quality of natural light in the
exhibition environment. The research also criticizes the dominant white
cube paradigm for museum design and points out on alternative
possibilities. Finally, the research elaborates on the complexity of
the planning process, and stresses the need for a critical relationship
between the architect, the museum directors, and other professionals
for achieving the museum design targets.
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