Re: Gallery lighting.

[roger kockaerts <permadocument@yahoo.com>]

Hello Leonard,

The recommended lighting of precious lightsensitive photographic artefacts, thus also of color prints, is a limited exposure of around 50lux which indeed is pretty dim. On the other hand, good viewing conditions of color material ask for an ambient lighting of 300lux which puts us before a dilemna. What should a gallery owner decide if he wants to sell the items he exhibits? Some of our museums tend to use relative strong lighting conditions and to protect their most valuable historic photographic prints with a black veil which can be lifted temporarily by the visitor. In other instances you have to allow your eyes to gain their night vision before attempting to decypher the works of art.

Greetings from Brussels,

Roger

 

 

  Leonard Robertson <leonard@harrington-wa.com> a écrit :

My wife and I went to a Robert Adams exhibit in Spokane today, paid $7 each admission, went into the gallery and saw many Adams' prints. Or I should say we almost saw them. As far as I was concerned, the lighting was just plain dim, almost "mood lighting". I'm in my mid-50s and I know my vision in dim light is diminished, but my wife is nine years younger than I am and she agreed it was pretty dark in there. The ceiling mounted lights were some sort of spot bulb with an orange or pink cast (my color sense isn't great either, that's why I prefer B&W). Is this some sort of new archival, safe-and-sane, won't-fade-the-prints lighting? The gallery is in a new museum that cost a gazillion dollars, so maybe this is the latest and greatest in gallery lighting. Anyway, now that I've ranted a little and feel better - Is there any established standard for illumination level and color of light for photo exhibiting? Is there any authority on the subject that can be quoted to ga