A recent project of ours involved working as the custom electrical contractor with world famous sculptor David Bennett. Mr. Bennett had been commissioned by a private contemporary art collector in the Houston Museum District to hang a custom lighted glass sculpture in the center of the room.
Mr. Bennett creates interesting figures suspended in air made that are from bronze and blown glass. These sculptures are then lighted from within. The internal lighting of this particular piece was done with hundreds of small LED lamps. These lamps were to be operated by three power supplies working in tandem and a Radio Ra2 lighting control system that would enable one-touch adjustment of the lighting.
Because of the unique design of the sculpture, Mr. Bennett had specified LED power supplies in three different locations in the room. These power supplies were concealed so that they would not distract the eye of the viewer from the presentation of the sculpture. Mr. Bennett had also purchased a Radio Ra2 wireless control system, which would simultaneously control the remote LED power supplies to regulate the lighting intensity within the sculpture.
When artists like David Bennett work in a specific location in the United States, they must call upon local electrical contractors if the work they are installing requires any type of wiring that is regulated by National Electric Codes. Codes, though federally regulated, stipulate that local electrical contractors be used who are certified to do wiring work in that particular part of the country.
This is where Illuminations Lighting Design became involved in the project. The art collector who had commissioned the peace did some homework of her own after hearing our name mentioned at a party. She discovered that we have completed several fine art lighting projects in the Houston Museum District, and that we have worked as a licensed electrical contractor throughout Texas for over 30 years.
The first order of business was to wire the power supplies to the sculpture. We did this by cutting the sheetrock and running the wires through the rafters per national electrical code requirements. We also removed several pre-existing low voltage recessed lighting cans that no longer served a purpose, and that would distract the eye from the sculpture. When this was finished, we patched the ceiling, leaving only the sculpture visible.
The second part of our work involved configuring the Radio Ra2 lighting control system to communicate with a hand held control. This hand held remote used wireless radio signals to communicate with the hidden power supplies in the room. With it, the artist intended for the collector to be able to turn the lights on and regulate their intensity with the convenience of a single control. ILD, as a certified Lutron lighting control contractor has installed, serviced, and programmed Lutron technology for many years, and we were able to create the specific lighting control stipulations intended for the piece.
Houston art collectors who have commissioned similar works in glass and bronze will need special lighting and/or wiring work like the type we did for the Bennett project. Our knowledge of fine art lighting specialty art lighting equipment, and expertise in lighting controls enables us to handle challenging technically situations without compromising the aesthetic intentions of the artist.
Whomever the artist and wherever the artwork is located, you can trust the professionals at Illuminations Lighting Design to design and implement a fine art lighting theme that will showcase your collection in the best possible light on a budget you can afford. Let a trained fine art lighting lighting company help you with your art collection.
Illuminations Lighting and Design multi-specializes in all forms of art lighting, cabinet lighting and maintains an outstanding reputation among both residential and corporate clientele alike. Contact us now at 713-863-1133 for a complimentary consultation and design proposal.
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