The research project LIGHT ART HISTORY NET is a collective artistic research initiative led by Bettina Pelz and Mia Kivinen. The project investigates the artistic, technological, and cultural significance of light as a medium and material in contemporary visual arts, tracing developments from explorations in the 20th century to present-day practices.
The two curators have focused on artists’ networks since the 1950s dedicated to artistic research and practice involving light and light-based media in the arts. The project highlights influential international artist groups such as ZERO (Germany), GRAV (France), LIGHT AND SPACE (USA), EQUIPO 57 (Spain), GRUPPO N / GRUPPO T (Italy), DIMENSIO (Finland), and GUTAI (Japan). Their research underscores the significance of these groups, as they represent pivotal historical and aesthetic developments in the use, understanding, and integration of light into art practices and exhibitions. The group’s collective dynamics, shared philosophies, and collaborative innovations are crucial to capturing the material, conceptual, and social dimensions of light in the fine arts, both historically and today. Thus, studying artists’ groups and their networks fosters a comprehensive understanding of light as an artistic material and medium, intertwined with cultural, technological, and perceptual shifts mediated by collective activity and shared artistic research.
The project is organized around three key activities:
– Research and Documentation: Examining artists’ specific research and practices related to light, as well as their contributions to collective activities.
– Curators’ Interviews: Conducting interviews with established and emerging curators to explore their knowledge and practice related to light art.
– Developing a Nomadic Exhibition: Creating an itinerant exhibition project composed of documentation, studio artifacts, and artworks.
Bettina Pelz (curator, researcher) | Mia Kivinen (curator, researcher)