“King Lear” by Tomaz Pandur. ©AljosaRevolij
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MANIFESTO FOR THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF LIGHT. 16 May 2018.
UNESCO has designated 16 May as International Day of Light, highlighting the enormous importance of light in our lives. This proclamation makes us happy and forces us to reflect not only on the functional and scientific aspects of light, but also on the social and artistic aspects. Light is a “strange material” so present in our lives that we do not know how to appreciate it properly, nor the use we make of it, nor the responsibility we have in handling it.
It is obvious to say that sunlight conditions our lives during the day, it gives and takes energy at its pleasure, whimsically influencing our mood. On the contrary, darkness at night gives us intimacy and makes us the protagonists of a world of artificial light that we can manipulate at will, creating, just as the sun does during the day, atmospheres that provoke moods and generate different types of emotions. As an example, in the midst of the LED revolution, we continue to light candles every time we want to enjoy a memorable moment.
Already in Greece, in the middle of the night, large pieces of wood were burned and people gathered around the bonfire – aware of the hypnotic nature of fire – in a collective and common connection. It was a celebration of light. We can affirm that our relationship with light is innate and that a common experience always arises around it. Today we have exchanged fire for technology, but the spirit remains the same. Whether in the street, in a square or in a public building, light becomes, beyond its primary function of illuminating, a language that communicates emotion, hence its importance.
Manipulating light is no longer just a craft, it has become an art and as such is a vehicle that contributes to our growth as a society and as people.
For all these reasons, we do not want to let this day pass without highlighting the importance of light and reflecting on some points that concern us.
- We need the Light, beyond vision:
- Our biological processes depend on the levels and composition of light.
- Subjective/psychological aspects such as attention or boredom depend on lighting parameters.
- The light environment is a mood modifier, improving or worsening the mood.
As professional experts in the technical and technological part, as well as in the emotional or environmental part of light, we want to claim the presence of Lighting Designers in all scenic and architectural projects. Knowledge about the use of light is more important than the technological aspects.
Light is a fundamental and necessary component both on stage and in architecture, and in Spain today, sadly, there is sadly no specific training with a higher degree in Lighting Design for Performances or Architectural Lighting. We consider that it is necessary to achieve its implementation and to put it on a par with other similar specialities that can be studied in the Higher Schools of Dramatic Art (ESAD), such as Stage Direction, Acting, Scenography or Playwriting.
We must control energy resources and seek sustainability, or in other words, obtain maximum performance with the lowest possible costs. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the use of natural light as part of any architectural lighting project.
When it comes to lighting an environment, it is important to adapt to its uses and customs as well as to its particular conditions, looking for the common welfare. Likewise, we must consider the balanced play of light and shadow in the scene, avoiding unnecessary lighting excesses.
Lighting designers must be ethically responsible and be able to count on full independence from manufacturers and suppliers when making economic, ecological and artistic decisions in their projects. We want to share knowledge and innovations among professionals, analyzing projects and results with the intention of improving and correcting.
Incandescent light, like fire, is part of our lives and our history. We cannot condemn it and renounce it definitively, it has and must continue to occupy its place in artistic projects, and especially in the world of show business. For this reason, we will actively participate in the #SaveStageLighting campaign to AVOID THEIR DISAPPEARANCE.
Light and shadow are the elements that allow us to visually perceive the world around us.
Let’s observe it, enjoy it and celebrate the International Day of Light.
MANIFESTO FOR THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF LIGHT.
16th of May has been designated by Unesco as International day of Light, highlighting the importance light has in our lives. This declaration makes us happy and forces us to reflect, not only on the func6onal and scientific aspects of light, but on its social and artistic aspects too. Light is a “strange material” so presents in our daily lives that we can’t appreciate it appropriately, neither the way we use it or the responsibility we have when manipulating it.
It’s obvious to say that the light of the sun conditions our lives during the day, it gives us and takes away its energy at will, affecting our state of mind. On the other hand, darkness provides privacy and makes us the main character in a world of artificial light that we can manipulate as we like. We can create, as the sun does during the day, atmospheres that cause different moods and emotions.
As an example, we can say that even during the LED revolution we still light a candle to enjoy memorable moments.
In ancient Greece they used to burn big logs in the middle of the night, and people used to gather around the fire, aware of the hypnotic power of fire, in a collective connection. It used to be a celebration of light. We can be sure our relationship with light is innate and there is always a common connection around it. Nowadays we have changed fire for technology, but the spirit is still the same. Being in the street, at the town square or in a public building, light becomes a language that communicates feelings beyond its primary function of illuminating. Manipulating light is no longer only a trade, it has become an art and as such, it is a vehicle helping our evolution both as society and as persons.
For these reasons, we do not want to leave this day pass without marking the importance of light and reflecting, on some points that concern us.
- We need light beyond vision:
- Our biological processes depend on levels and composition of light.
- Subjective or psychological aspects like a Vention or boredom depend on light’s parameters.
- Light environment modifies the state of mind in people, improving or worsening it.
As professional experts in both the technical and technological aspects and the emotional or environmental aspects of light, we claim the presence of Lighting Designers in all scenic and architectural projects. The knowledge of the usage of light is more important than the technological point of view.
Light is an essential component and it is necessary both in architecture and the stage, and in Spain today sadly there is not specific education with a higher qualification in Stage Lighting Design or in Architectonic Lighting.
We consider it is necessary to include it and its equalisation with similar subjects you can currently study at Escuelas Superiores de Arte Dramático (ESAD), like Stage Direction, Acting, Stage Design or Dramaturgy.
We should control energetic resources and look for sustainability, which means obtaining the maximum performance for the minimum cost possible. This is why it is necessary to consider using natural light as part of any architectural lighting project.
When lighting an environment, it is important to adapt to its customary uses, as well as to its particulars, looking for the common wellness. Likewise, we should consider the equilibrium of light and shadow in stage, avoiding unnecessary light excess. Lighting designers should be ethically responsible and should be completely independent from manufacturers and suppliers when taking economic, ecologic and artistic decisions in their projects.
We want to share knowledge and innovation amongst professionals, analysing projects and results with the aim of improving and correcting.
Incandescent light, like fire, is part of our lives and our history. We cannot condemn it and give it up indefinitely. It has to continue having its place in artistic projects, especially in the entertainment world. This is the reason why we will actively participate in the Save Stage Lighting Campaign to prevent its disappearance.
Light and shadow are elements that allow seeing the world around us.
Let’s observe it, enjoy it and let’s celebrate the International Day of Light.
AAI – Association of Authors of Illumination
APDI – Professional Association of Lighting Designers
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