Illumination

I am thinking about how my images might be displayed to best effect. I have been inspired by the work of the artist James Nizam who uses derelict building in Vancover to create temporary light sculptures in.

                                               Nazim (2010) Drill holes through Studio wall

I am considering the idea of what is seen through a microscope, light from behind.

I think the bright colours in my multi facetted images would look good back-lit. That would also reflect the idea of ‘drawing the viewer in’ like a moth to a flame. Then when they are nice and close, they get ‘burnt’ when they realise what they are studying so intently!

Helen Chadwick printed an image of a human brain onto glass and lit it from behind. I saw this piece-Self Portrait (1991) in Edinburgh. There was something so attractive about the ring of bright light spilling out around the image,  that I was distracted from the rather gruesome subject matter of the brain being cradled in two hands. I like the way it glowed and you could see it from the other end of the corridor.

                            

Chadwick (1991) Self Portrait

I have looked at circular wall and ceiling lights consisting of a neon tube covered by a frosted glass dome. There may be some way i could take it apart and fix a circular image inside the dome and have the light illuminating it from the back?

What makes using a light like this difficult for my work is that the paper has to be cut to size and curved round the inside of the glass. This is almost impossible to do without creasing the paper it is printed on. One alternative would be to print the image onto acetate and perhaps heat it and bend it.

Another would be to print the image in a circular shape which would mould more easily into the convex glass cover. 

As the images were created to be either rectangular or square, however, \I think a lightbox would be a better solution.Having seen the price of light boxes, I have started some trials to make my own. (£200 for an aluminium framed A3 one)

I made a spiral with a strip of LED lights from EBAY across the back board of a box frame from Ikea.

The strip has an adhesive coating on the back, but it would not stay stuck for very long. I will have to add clear tape, or perhaps double-sided tape  to hold it in position. Also, it is too inflexible to be bent round tight corners, so the tape has to be twisted onto its side to turn the corners, then laid flat again on the straight runs.

I am not sure if the dimming of the light source at the corners will show through the image.

At least the adaptor works, But I will probably have to paint the flex white so it does not distract from the image when it is mounted on the wall. Another problem may be the power source. If there is a convenient one I will still need a multi- plug adaptor for more than one image. Then there will be a lot of cable to hide away.
If the image is flat onto the backing board, the individual lights show through. If I wanted the pattern of the lights to show, I would have to attach them with more care,  so they are perfectly symmetrical in their layout.

But when the image is just beneath the glass on the front of the frame, the light is more diffused.

I have to consider the thickness and quality of the paper I choose for the final prints.