Experimental Use of Light and Reflection in Art

My art practice has been focused on the experimentation and use of light, shadow and reflection in art. I am intrigued by the intricate shadows and reflections that can be created by light and ways that light can be used as a medium. Light, shadow and reflection are used in the contemporary art world by artists such as Anthony McCall and Olafur Eliasson, who I will be talking about in further detail. I am going to explore how artists use light, shadow and reflection and how this differs or is similar to my own work.

Anthony McCall is best known for his series of solid-light installations which he began in 1973. Solid works was McCall’s first significant UK exhibition in over ten years, including works such as Doubling Back (2003), Line describing a cone (1973), Leaving (with two minutes silence) (2009) and Face to Face (2013). Oakes (2018) has described McCall’s work as “difficult to define”. This is due to McCall’s incorporation of many different mediums including cinema, sculpture and drawing. Smart (2018) described McCall’s work as “breaking the medium down to its basic components – light and time”. Using this, McCall has stepped outside the view of what may be considered as typical artistic material in the contemporary art world. It has been said that McCall’s work stands at a “unique intersection of media” (Lloyd, 2018). The projected lights used are a line drawing, yet they are encountered as three-dimensional environments by the viewer. Lloyd (2018) began to question where

the artwork is in this series. He questions whether it is in the projected line drawings made of light, the effect it has on the space, or the participants themselves.

Line Describing a Cone (1973) (figure 1) depicts a single light in a dark room gradually forming a full circle, the lights become visible when they mix with particles in the air. Cigarette smoke was originally used to create this, however now a light mist/fog is used to create the same effect. Lloyd (2018) explained this as McCall’s stepping off point for his later body of work. His exhibitions often include an array of preparatory sketches, which conveys the geometry behind the precise shapes and lines. Smart (2018) believes McCall’s work may “appeal more to a physicist than the average art-lover” due to the use of geometry in the planning process. This conveys how contemporary art is now involving other fields of interest, extending what is considered as art. Campbell-Johnston (2018) said McCall’s work was “strictly mathematical” explaining the precise shapes and lines.

McCall’s piece Face to Face (2013) (figure 2) shows two screens in the middle of a dark room, used to emphasise the light. Similarly, in my own practice, I experimented with a dark background and a bright light in order to emphasise the deep contrast. Smart (2018) explained the experience as “thrilling” and said that the viewer felt “power” as they had the ability to touch and even re-direct the light. Contemporary Art is not just about the artist creating the work, but also about the viewers interaction with it which creates something new altogether. McCall’s piece Leaving (2009) conveys the development of two cones of light, each partnered with its own soundtrack. Oakes (2018) said that McCall’s work can make the audience feel “apprehensive” as they are mindful of not ruining the “poetic scene”.

Olafur Eliasson is another artist whose artwork has had an influence on my practice in relation to the theme of light and reflection. He incorporates the use of light, mirrors, tinted glass, stainless steel frames and lightbulbs. His use of natural phenomena breaks the barriers between what is considered as artistic material. Cotter (2008) described Eliasson’s work as “ephemeral” and “slow to reveal”. Eliasson’s installation Beauty (1993) (figure 3) conveys a rainbow emerging from a curtain of mist, created by thousands of tiny water droplets which reflect with the light. Critics have said this piece “glorifies an environmental wonder” (The Art Story, 2019) and it emphasises “interaction with the natural environment” (The Art Story, 2019). His use of natural mediums in his work are effective in conveying how you do not need literal artistic materials such as paint or pencil to create effective artwork. It is encouraged for the audience to participate in this installation by walking through it. The viewers use their bodies to influence their perspective, meaning they are in control of a manmade phenomenon. Eliasson attempts to intensify perceptual awareness with the use of this. (The Art Story, 2019). Jones (2005) explains how the audience involvement turns the installation into more of a performance, as “his audience moves like dancers along the stage”. This brings me back to the discussion that contemporary art has exceeded boundaries so far that the audience are now becoming part of the artwork and making it their own. Each viewer has a different experience, so no two people will feel the same feelings about the work.

Eliasson created geometric lamps which he put lights inside to display large and eccentric patterns around the room. Similarly, in my own practice I have been exploring the patterns that can be formed using light as the medium, I put bright lights through smashed glass in order to create a pattern in the shadow, in a similar way to how Eliasson used his geometric lamps and glass. Lamp for urban movement (2011) (figure 4) from Eliasson shows a focus not on the light itself, but what the light can create. Zhang (2014) says Eliassson “transforms spaces into illuminated, multi coloured realms of beauty”. The shapes of the lamp are precise and delicate, similarly to the way he has used shapes in his light projections. Eliasson has used his platform as an artist to move into uncharted waters of social responsibility. He invested his own money into a project to bring solar-powered lamps to people who live off the grid. Eliasson (2014) has said “is from within the art world and reaches outside the art world – once it is in the hands of the people who need light, the need is functional not spiritual'.

In conclusion, after exploring both Olafur Eliasson and Anthony McCall’s work my interest for the use of light in art has been heightened. McColl’s work is precise and carefully thought out, which shows through the sharp lines and shapes that are created. It is interesting to see the play between light, dark and depth, which is something I would like to explore more. I find it compelling how in Eliasson’s work he has such a focus on the viewer’s involvement, which conveys the art is not always about the artist. His use of natural phenomena to create light/reflection is intriguing and something that I will carry on to research and explore. Both artists create work that is visually impactful, and conveys how in the contemporary art world, art can extend to many different mediums.