Happy Labor Day!

 

The wonders of technology - selective chromatic lighting

When it comes to lighting museums, particularly those with sensitive cultural treasures, one of the most frequent challenges can be how to balance the desire to display light sensitive objects to the public with the need to preserve those objects from the degradation caused by exposure to light. Numerous techniques and standards have been developed over the years with which we have all become familiar, but an article in the latest edition of Lighting Research & Technology offers the possibility of an interesting out-of-the-box option. 

The article, in general, poses the idea of illuminating highly sensitive objects with what it calls “selective chromatic lighting”, which amounts to lighting an object with only the wavelengths of light which would be reflected by that object.  Essentially, we are talking about lighting an object with a high resolution photographic projection of the object itself to reduce damaging light absorption. 

While, in practice, this may be prohibitive on a large scale for multiple reasons, on a small scale it does pose some interesting possibilities. Imagine, for example, that you had a highly sensitive handwritten letter, black ink on paper, which would ordinarily be limited to 30 lux or less. The concern, beyond a yellowing of the paper, would be the fading of the pigment in the handwriting which would reduce the legibility over time. The possibility posed by the article is this: What if you illuminated the letter with a high definition photograph of the letter projected from an LED light source and aligned with the original. Then, for all intents and purposes, you are only illuminating the empty white page and minimizing the light which would fall on the text itself. While certainly not an everyday solution, it is one which current technologies make much more conceivable than in days gone by. 

If you have some time we recommend the article. A link to the abstract is provided below.

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/14771535211025404

USA Today - 10 Best New Museums

We're honored to have worked on two projects that made the USA Today list - The Mascot Hall of Fame and the Harriet Tubman museum. 

Check out the link to see the complete list!

Happy 4th!

 

On the road again...

 

We're so grateful to be back out working on site! 

Can anyone guess where Jason is this week?

Project in Progress: National Air and Space Museum

CHANGE IS IN THE AIR!

Here are some behind-the-scenes updates from the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC.

We have been working on this project since 2016 and the installation phase of the project has finally begun! Click this link to check out more photos of the project so far! These galleries will be opening to the public in 2022.

Crook Point Bascule Bridge

Photo from Turnto10.com

We are excited to announce that we're a part of the winning team chosen for the redevelopment of the Crook Point Bridge!

Photoshop Concept Rendering

To learn more about the project, check out these local news stories:

• ABC 6
• WJAR 10
• WPRI 12
• Providence Journal

Mock-up Day!

It’s mock-up day at the Mystic Seaport Museum... we are testing small format LED lighting systems for inclusion in a new display structure for a gallery show opening this fall... stay tuned for more in the coming months!

The Amazing Survivor Orchid!

Our office orchid is blooming again! 

This amazing plant has continued to surprise us and survive lots of adverse conditions/office moves, etc... Have we mentioned our Office Manager has a black thumb?!

Our orchid gives us hope that we'll all soon be blooming again and enjoying life as these crazy times move into the past. If the orchid can survive and bloom - so can we! Remember though to take care of yourselves, we've all lived through some trying times... and deserve care and patience as we try to bloom again.

New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center: Focus Trip # 1

Abernathy Lighting Design recently spent an enjoyable day in historic downtown New Bedford, MA doing a preliminary aim & focus for the new exhibits at the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center. 

With exhibits designed by Proun Design and no small measure of help from the local fishing community, the new installation is looking great! 

There are still some things left to do as we wait on some last minute bits and pieces but we are looking forward to finishing things up next month. So if you happen to be in New Bedford, stop in and learn something new about the fishing industry in New England!

Women in Country - Interview with Kathy and Chris

In case you missed it, you can still watch the Women in Country interview with Kathy and Chris from earlier this week.

Here's the link!

Mystic Seaport Museum: Figureheads & Shipcarving

Since the dawn of civilization, cultures have adorned the bows of their boats and ships. In the 19th century, those decorations took on the more formal, carved forms we know today as “Figureheads”. These carvings could range from lions and unicorns to damsels and saints. They gave each vessel its personality and reflected the values and culture of the time. During the age of steam-power, a lack of rigging and sails on steam-powered vessels meant that the bow of the ship held less prominence than it once did. Sadly, figureheads then fell out of favor, but the figureheads themselves still live on. 

Abernathy Lighting Design is proud to have played a part in bringing these prominent figures back to life in the Mystic Seaport Museum’s latest gallery opening. For over 40 years, the museum’s figurehead exhibit in the Wendell Gallery has served as a showplace for these unique artifacts. From fully renovated gallery interiors and reconceived exhibits to a new lighting system, the gallery has recently received a well-deserved facelift. Working with the museum’s in-house exhibit design team, Abernathy Lighting Design designed and executed the new exhibit lighting layouts to enhance the overall gallery aesthetic. Adding small theatrical touches, such as textural water and carefully controlled uplighting allows each of these historic pieces to shine in its own unique way. 

 At Abernathy Lighting Design, we look forward to more opportunities to collaborate with the talented team at the Mystic Seaport Museum. Should you find yourself in southeastern Connecticut, stop by to see the new exhibit and let us know what you think. 

Photo credit: Joe Michael, (c) 2020 Mystic Seaport Museum.

SPAM Shout Out

If you ever find yourself near Austin, Minnesota (aka The City of Spam) we hope you can check out the SPAM Museum, that we worked on back in 2016.

Did you know that 8 million cans of SPAM are eaten in Hawaii each year ?

Check out this recent article by CBS Minnestota for more about the museum and more fun SPAM facts!

Happy Opening!

Happy Opening to the Nickelodeon Playtime in China!

We are proud to have worked on this project with Jack Rouse Associates. Check out this article by blooloop for more photos and details on this indoor family entertainment center with areas themed around Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Dora the Explorer, Paw Patrol and more!

Congratulations, Jason!

Jason Rainone has earned the Certified Lighting Designer (CLD), the first international, evidence-based certification in architectural lighting design. Jason is among the first lighting designers in the world to earn the new international certification, which demonstrates that he has a proven track record of excellence and has successfully validated his skill in a rigorous assessment process that defines  high standards of professional practice.

The certification process, governed by the Certified Lighting Design Commission, is designed to assess the ability to operate as a lead architectural lighting designer in a professional and proficient manner by considering a person’s imaginative, technical, and professional responsibility skills.

“We congratulate Jason on earning the CLD. This global benchmark of performance demonstrates his proficiency in developing, guiding, and completing lighting design projects,” said David Becker, Chair of the Certified Lighting Design Commission.

Why would a Certified Lighting Designer improve your project?

It's all about the Domains...

Goals and Outcomes: Lighting with a clear intent that performs as designed.

Collaboration: Recognize that it takes a team to create a project.

Ingenuity: A little imagination can make a good project great.

Synthesis: Great lighting works with a space, not against it.

Science: To design with light you first have to understand light.

Stewardship: Responsible lighting is more than just a wattage label.

Human Experience: Lighting that positively affects the people who use it.