//When I was asked how I felt about showing Mischa Kuball’s installation “Space, Speech, Speed” during RESPONSIVE in Halifax, I immediately said yes! I believe it is important that as many people as possible get acquainted with light art and its specific place within contemporary art, which is why we, the Center for International Light Art in Unna, Germany, wish to work together with institutions and cities all over the world.
The original of “Space, Speech, Speed” can be seen in our museum, which happens to be the only light art museum worldwide, that is fully dedicated to light art. Mischa installed his light art sculpture in the museum right at the beginning in 2001, and up till now it evokes a very enthusiastic response. You will notice during RESPONSIVE that light art has this special quality, that it responds to all our senses.
What is special about our museum is that every artist picked his or her own exhibition space, and then made a site-specific installation for the 12 meters underground spaces, where once beer was stored and cooled, at the time the museum still was a brewery. Mischa installed his work in one of the former ice cellars! Besides our permanent collection, we also host temporary exhibitions, like ¡BRIGHT!, which will open on next November 24th.
In 2015, the museum initiated the International Light Art Award, ILAA, a biennial competition, where artists can hand in their concepts for light art installations, that show how the future of light art, given all the rapid technological developments, might look like. Last September, we ended the second edition of ILAA and its accompanying exhibition, for which we received almost 300 concepts from artists from 41 countries. Keith Sonnier [look him up!] was the jury’s chairman. ILAA is a means for us to emphasize the importance of light art, and to give a chance to emerging artists, that want to work with light as their prime material.
As a competence center for light art, we think it is important to collaborate with universities, museums, light expertise centers, and of course artists that work with light worldwide. That is also why it is important to be visible in Halifax as well, with Mischa’s wonderful and triggering installation.
I wish Halifax and all visitors to RESPONSIVE a truly enlightening experience.
Cordial greetings,
John Jaspers [Director]
Center for International Light Art Unna [de]