This document provides an overview of the history and advancement of light art. It discusses how early scientists studied the properties of light in the 19th century and how painters like Monet and Seurat incorporated light effects into their work. It then outlines key developments in light art including stained glass windows, shadow puppetry, and modern light sculptures. The document also covers advantages and disadvantages of different light sources for art and how light art impacts society and the economy.

1. Science Light in Use of Art
Jennifer Kim
Tuesday, February 7, 2012

2. Table of Contents
✤ History of Light Art --------------------------------------------Slide 1/Slide 2
✤ Advancement of Light Art ----------------Slide 3/Slide 4/Slide 5/Slide 6
✤ Advantages of Light Art------------------------------------Slide 7/Slide 8
✤ Disadvantages of Light Art----------------------------------Slide 9/ Slide 10
✤ Light Art impact on Society-------------------------------------Slide 11
✤ Light Art impact on Economy---------------------------------------Slide 12
Tuesday, February 7, 2012

3. History of Light Art
✤ In the 19th and 20th century, light was studied by scientists and painted artists named, James Clerk Maxwell. He
studied the wave-like properties of light and discovered that light is an electromagnetic wave.
✤ At the same time, Monet, drew the “Haystacks and Rouen Cathedral Series” to show the interaction of a subject
through light and form.
✤ In this way, the light that Maxwell described about, looked similar with the painting.
✤ In the same time era, another painter named Seurat created a painting which also displayed light but in myriad dots
of color.
✤ With that painting, the scientists understood that for example, metal’s electrons get ejected when the light frequency
or the amplitude touched or varied smoothly. However, there were limits to electrons getting ejected, but a rise of
light frequency brought change of color in violet of the spectrum. < This was called the “photo-electric effect.”
✤ Lastly, Einstein stated that the “photo-electric effect” is consisted of small particles or packets of energy. (called
“photons” later on discovered by, Gilbert Lewis).
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4. ✤ “Haystacks and Rouen Cathedral
Series” By: Monet
A Sunday Afternoon on the
Island of La Grande Jatte
(1884-1886) By: Seurat
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5. Advancements of Light Art
Color spectrum
✤ Light Art was first considered by various colors and energies of spectrum, that matter and energy are the same thing
with different forms. The amplitude properties of light (brightness/lightness) are just modified in to wave light/
frequency characteristics of light (color).
✤ However in Ancient Rome, stained glass has been also a history of art in use of light. These windows were created
from great cathedrals and it came from a German monk called Theophilus. As the light of the sun reached the
colored window, it transmits to the inside and flashes a tint of color.
✤ Then, it went on to Shadow Puppetry, which was first began in China. It is when a beam of great light is lit up to a
thing surface, and a figure of puppet or hand plays its role to create a shadowy figure.
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6. Stained Glasses
Reflected Stained Glass
Shadow Puppetry
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7. Advancements in Light Art
(Modern) Light sculptures
✤ And now, there are inventions of electrical artificial light to create sculptures and designs with light. They do
photography and motion pictures in use of light.
✤ A man named László Moholy-Nagy (1895-1946) who was a member of Bauhaus, was regarded as a father of Light Art.
Bauhaus is a design school at Germany, where they invented modern art. His first light art was “Light-Space Modulator”
from 1922 to 1930. It was the first piece which combines with kinetic art, which is an art that involves movement and
depends on motion.
✤ László Moholy-Nagy
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8. Light-Space
Modulator
✤ This was created by László Moholy-
Nagy to created light displays for
theater, dance, or other performance
spaces. With every feature of this
invention, it created the effect of
photograms in motion.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012

9. Advantages of Light Art
✤ There are four types of lights used in Art:
✤ Incandescent: Warm colors such as red, orange, brown are produced or enhanced with Incandescent light. It also
contains low UV(light which can produce skin cancer).
✤ Fluorescent: Fluorescent light don’t emit light alike the UV lights.
✤ Halogen: It emits strong, full spectrum with higher effective color temperature. This emits both cold light and warm
light that can greatly enhance artwork. They also go for a very long time to about 4,000 hours. These days, low
wattage (measure of electrical power in watts) halogen bulb with a UV filter developed by “SoLux,” is well used in
the art world. In this light, it gives off least amount of UVB radiation which is a harmful radiation for art.
✤ LED: LED has Zero UV, Zero Heat, Low Power and Long Life.
Incandescent Fluorescent LED
Halogen
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10. Advantages of Light Art
✤ Gives entertainment and appealing view to the audience.
✤ Shows creativity toward the new futuristic world.
✤ Brightens the environment with numerous colors.
✤ Celebrates events or special occasions.
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11. Disadvantages of Light Art
✤ Incandescent: They produce continuous
spectrum of light near ultraviolet in
concerned with radiation.
✤ Fluorescent: It emits high UV rays which
fade and damage the art.
✤ Halogen: Halogen lights give off a lot of
heat and emits UV and infrared rays.
✤ LED: Their disadvantages are that it does
not give efficient light to their advantages.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012

12. Light Art in Society
New York City, Time square
✤ Light Art has been used in so much cases all around places (streets,
shop windows, billboard signs, and houses).
✤ Attracts business and alerts people from emergencies.
✤ Gives joy and happiness especially in celebrations or holidays.
Sometimes using light art is a tradition.
✤ Light works change the visible world and change people’s lives as a
whole.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012

13. Global Issue &
Light Art in Economy
✤ Too much use in electricity and energy, that money can be wasted. Even
though LED is a source that saves energy or even used by solar, it is very
expensive. Electricity payment and bills would increase in cases of using
these lights and decorations.
✤ Energy source will decrease and effect the economic system.
✤ However more money will be given to the government to develop their
use.
✤ Beautiful view of light art can attract many tourists and gain better
reputation of the country and its economic system. This refers to the 2012
London Olympic’s decoration. Many think that it’s good for sight seeing
and the tourists would bring in money for the new things they see.
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14. Christmas Season in
Stanley Park
(Vancouver, Canada)
Fourth of July in New York
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15. Bibliography
✤ Works Cited
✤ 2012, Jenny Minard BBC. "BBC News - London 2012: Olympic-inspired Art to Light up Bus Stops." BBC - Homepage. Web. 05 Feb. 2012. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-16510085>.
✤ Environmental A World For All. Web. 05 Feb. 2012. <http://environmentalaworldforall.wordpress.com/>.
✤ "Garry Street Gallery: Lighting Your Art | Notes From the Lane." Notes From the Lane | The Ruby Lane Blog: Your Resource for Online Sales Success. Web. 04 Feb. 2012. <http://blog.rubylane.com/node/1445>.
✤ "History of Puppetry." Sunnie BunnieZZ Storytellers A Kidsafe Activity Site Promotes Storytelling through Poetry, Puppetry, Clowning, Magic, Educational and Holiday Puzzles and Activities. Web. 04 Feb.
2012. <http://sunniebunniezz.com/puppetry/puphisto.htm>.
✤ "Light in Art, a New Way of Representing Light." Wayne Roberts - International Award Winning Artist. Diverse Interactive Watermedia Art. Watercolor Extended. Web. 04 Feb. 2012. <http://
www.wroberts.com.au/html/about_painting_light.html>.
✤ "Stained Glass in Medieval Europe | Thematic Essay | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art." The Metropolitan Museum of Art - Home. Web. 04 Feb. 2012. <http://
www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/glas/hd_glas.htm>.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012