Theatermachine worked with great pleasure on the lighting design for the exhibition Jean Tinguely – Machine Spectacle in Stedelijk Museum. The exhibition shows over a hundred machine sculptures, most of which are in working order, paired with films, photos, drawings, and archive material. The presentation takes visitors on a chronological and thematic journey of Tinguely’s artistic development and ideas, from his love of absurd play to his fascination for destruction and ephemerality.
Jean Tinguely is famous for his playful, boldly kinetic machines and explosive performances. Everything had to be different, everything had to move. The presentation features his early wire sculptures and reliefs, in which Tinguely imitated and animated the abstract paintings of artists such as Malevich, Miró, and Klee; the interactive drawing machines and wild dancing installations constructed from salvaged metal, waste materials, and discarded clothing; and his streamlined, military-looking black sculptures.
The lighting design for this exhibition is deliberately playful and varied. Each room has its own lighting mood to suit the theme of the room. In order to accomplish the different atmospheres we used varying color temperatures in the rooms. The sculptures are fantastic to illuminate; a beautiful exhibition to work on.
More information can be found through this link: http://www.stedelijk.nl/en/exhibitions/jean-tinguely-machine-spectacle
Light design: Theatermachine – Isabel Nielen
Team: Roel Biemold, Mike Evers, Isabel Nielen and Maarten Warmerdam
Pictures: Gert Jan van Rooij and Isabel Nielen
