A bright beam pierces the darkness, making colors glow and instantly transforming the entire atmosphere: From May 19 to September 24, 2028, the LWL Museum of Art and Culture in Münster will showcase how artists have worked with this effect for centuries. The exhibition traces a path from the expressive light-dark contrasts of Caravaggio and Rembrandt to the large-scale installations of James Turrell, Olafur Eliasson, and Otto Piene.
What began in painting as a deliberate interplay of light and shadow evolved into a discipline in its own right in the 20th century. Here, light itself becomes a material that can be shaped, moved, and broken down into color.
From Painted Light to Luminous Art
The exhibition brings together historical paintings with sculptures and large-scale installations, revealing how the treatment of light has changed over the centuries. In addition to the traditional gallery spaces, the exhibition also utilizes the foyer and the patio—the semi-public space between the museum and the forecourt—for large-scale installations and projections. One special exhibit also incorporates the south facade and the terrace on the southern forecourt. There, the exhibition brings Otto Piene’s sculpture “Silberne Frequenz” (Silver Frequency), created in 1970 and 2014, to life. At the artist’s request, the software for his artwork—comprising 410 stainless steel spheres—is designed to be open-source, allowing artists of future generations to interact with it as well. Light performances, dance, and concerts round out the program.
