Art Lights & Lighting Art Galleries
Art gallery lighting should be low voltage when at all possible. Low voltage recessed art light fixtures use less power than high voltage equivalents and can save a gallery a small fortune in power costs. Low voltage fixtures exist in many forms, giving the curator a complete freedom of choice in selecting what will work best for particular showings and art types. Low voltage framing projectors, recessed ceiling lights, track lights, pinhole lights, and eyeball lights are becoming increasingly common for corporate art consultants, interior designers and architects.It is also very important that the equipment feature commercial, specification grade quality. In most instances, such equipment can only be sourced through a professional art lighting firm such as ILD. General specification equipment, which many freelance electricians or end users can buy through retail channels, is less reliable and often features a shorter lamp life which will compound replacement costs. Commercial grade lamps are far more likely to fulfill their predicted lifespan and typically have a much better manufacturer warranty in the unlikely event they do not.
Something else that curators should always be mindful of is the amount of heat produced in art gallery lighting. Without an initial investment in the very best equipment, it is unlikely that less expensive fixtures are going to satisfactorily perform in a high-end setting. This goes back to what we just discussed in reference to commercial grade quality and how you plan lighting. The more reputable and established lighting manufacturers are making it a priority to engineer equipment with technology that dissipates as much forward throw heat as possible. Not only does this better protect rare art against damage; it also helps keep the building cooler and contributes to lower HVAC operating costs.
Along similar lines, lighting for paintings should also be manufactured with advanced filtration mechanisms that block ultraviolet and infrared radiation. These are two very dangerous wavelengths of light that no gallery can afford to allow near any painting—especially historical or rare pieces. Canvases will dry and colors will fade in a relatively short period of time unless UV and IR radiation are blocked completely. In order to accomplish this, fixtures must be manufactured with reliable filtration mechanisms that block these frequencies and ensure that only visible wavelengths reach the canvas.
All this being said, we have to also take into consideration most art galleries are lighting a wide variety of painting sizes, photography, and sculpture. Any given showing will more than likely group various pieces according to artist, historical period, culture, or genre, but beyond this, there is a great diversity in individual works. Sometimes more eclectic showings will feature a mixture of art types that bring even more diversity and subjectivity to the display and interior lighting design. Gallery lighting in either instance must consist of a diversity of fixture types, luminance intensity, and fixture mount positioning in order to appropriately illuminate both individual works and provide enough general lighting in the room for viewer comfort.
If you are interested in a fine art lighting system or art gallery lighting, we invite you contact us at 713-863-1133 or us our online request design consultation form.
Since 1980, Illuminations Lighting Deign has grown to include a team of over 50 talented and dedicated employees. Specialty divisions have been created to focus on such disciplines as lighting design, electrical contracting, landscape lighting and home automation. Having specialists in each of these disciplines, while remaining true to the mission of offering home owners the "complete picture" of lighting design, is key to continued success at Illuminations Lighting.
We are located in Houston Texas but provide lighting and house lighting plans in Austin TX, El Paso Texas, San Antonio TX, College Station Texas, Beaumont TX, Dallas Texas, Midland Tx and points beyond.
Labels: Architectural Lighting Houston Texas, Art Gallery Lighting, Fine Art Lighting Consultants, Houston Fine Art Lighting Experts
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