A community Christmas treeA community Christmas tree
A community Christmas tree
A community song-festivalA community song-festival
A community song-festival
ARTIFICIAL LIGHT IN COMMUNITY AFFAIRS
In the rendition of mobile light it is fair to give the medium every advantage. Sometimes this means to eliminate competitors and sometimes it means to remove handicaps. On the stage light has had competitors which are better understood. For example, in the drama words and action are easily understood, and regardless of the effectiveness of light it would not receive much credit for the emotive value of the production. In the wonderful harmony of music, dance, and light in certain recent exhibitions, the dance and music overpowered the effects of lights because they speak familiar languages.
PANAMA-PACIFIC EXPOSITIONPANAMA-PACIFIC EXPOSITIONArtificial light not only reveals the beauty of decoration and architecture but enthralls mankind with its own unlimited powers
PANAMA-PACIFIC EXPOSITIONArtificial light not only reveals the beauty of decoration and architecture but enthralls mankind with its own unlimited powers
A number of attempts have been made to utilize light as an accompaniment of music and some of them on a small scale have been sincere and creditable, but amuch-heralded exhibition on a large scale a few years ago was not the product of deep thought and sincere effort. For example, colored lights thrown upon a screen having an area of perhaps twenty square feet were expected to compete with a symphony orchestra in Carnegie Hall. The music reached the most distant auditor in sufficient volume, but the lighting effect dwindled to insignificance. Without entering into certain details which condemned the exhibition in advance, the method of rendition of the light-accompaniment revealed a lack of appreciation of the problems involved on the part of those responsible.
Incidentally, it has been shown that the composer of this particular musical selection with its light accompaniment was psychologically abnormal; that is, he was affected with colored audition. It is not yet established to what extent normal persons are similarly affected by light and color. Certainly there is no similarity among the abnormal and none between the abnormal and normal.
If light is to be used as an accompaniment to music, it must be given an opportunity to supply "atmosphere." This it cannot do if confined to an insignificant spot; it must be given extensity. Furthermore, by the use of diaphanous hangings, form will be minimized and the evanescent effects surely can be charming. But finally the lighting effects must fill the field of vision just as the music "fills the field of audition" in order to be effective. There are fundamental objections to the use of mobile light as an accompaniment to music and therefore the future of the art of mobile light must not be allowed to rest upon its success withmusic. If it progresses through its relation with music, so much is gained; if not, the relation may be broken for music is quite capable of standing alone.
There is a tendency on the part of some revolutionary stage artists to give to lighting an emotional part in the play, or, in other words, to utilize lighting in obtaining the proper mood for the action of the play. Color and purely pictorial effect are the dominant notes of some of them. All of these modern stage-artists are abandoning the intricately realistic setting, and, as a consequence, light is enjoying a greater opportunity. In the more common and shallow theatrical production, lighting and color effects have many times saved the day, and, although these effects are not of the deeper emotional type, they may add a spectacular beauty which brings applause where the singing is mediocre and the comedy isn't comedy. The potentiality of lighting effects for the stage has been barely drawn upon, but as the expressiveness of light is more and more utilized on the stage, the art of mobile light will be advanced just so much more. Light, color, and darkness have many emotional suggestions which are easily understood and utilized, but the blending of mobile light with the action is difficult because its language is only faintly understood.
It is futile to attempt to describe a future composition of mobile light. Certainly there is an extensive variety of possibilities. A sunset may be compressed into minutes or an opalescent sky may be a motif. Varying intensities of a single hue or of allied hues may serve as a gentle melody. Realistic effects maybe introduced. The expressiveness of individual colors may be taken as a basis for constructing the various motifs. These may be woven into melody in which rhythm both in time and in intensity may be introduced. Action may be easily suggested and the number of different colors, in a broad sense, which are visible is comparable to the audible tones. Shading is as easily accomplished as in music and the development of this art need not be inhibited by a lack of mechanical devices and light-sources. The tools will be forthcoming if the conscientious artist requests them.
Whatever the future of the art of mobile light may be, it is certain that the utilization of the expressiveness of light has barely begun. It may be that light-music must pass through the "ragtime" stage of fireworks and musical-revue color-effects. If so, it is gratifying to know that it is on its way. Certainly it has already served on a higher level in some of the artistic lighting effects in which mobility has featured to some extent.
If the art does not develop rapidly it will be merely following the course of other arts. A vast amount of experimenting will be necessary and artists and public alike must learn. But if it ever does develop to the level of a fine art its only rival will be music, because the latter is the only other abstract art. Material civilization has progressed far and artificial light has been a powerful influence. May it not be true that artificial light will be responsible for the development of spiritual civilization to its highest level? If mobilelight becomes a fine art, it will be man's most abstract achievement in art and it may be incomparably finer and more ethereal than music. If this is realized, artificial light in every sense may well deserve to be known as the torch of civilization.
No attempt will be made to give a pretentious bibliography of the literature pertaining to the various aspects of artificial lighting, for there are many articles widely scattered through many journals.The Transactions of the Illuminating Engineering Societyafford the most fruitful source of further information; theIlluminating Engineer(London), contains much of interest; andZeitschrift für Beleuchtungswesendeals with lighting in Germany. H. R. D'Allemagne has compiled an elaborate "Historie du Luminaire" which is profusely illustrated, and L. von Benesch in his "Beleuchtungswesen" has presented many elaborate charts. In both these volumes lighting devices and fixtures from the early primitive ones to those of the nineteenth century are illustrated. A few of the latest books on lighting, in the English language, are "The Art of Illumination," by Bell; "Modern Illuminants and Illuminating Engineering," by Gaster and Dow; "Radiation, Light and Illumination," by Steinmetz; "The Lighting Art," by Luckiesh; "Illuminating Engineering Practice," consisting of a course of lectures presented by various experts under the joint auspices of the University of Pennsylvania and the Illuminating Engineering Society; "Lectures on Illuminating Engineering," comprising a series of lectures presented under the joint auspices of Johns Hopkins Universityand the Illuminating Engineering Society; and "The Range of Electric Searchlight Projectors," by Rey; "The Electric Arc," by Mrs. Ayrton; "Electric Arc Lamps," by Zeidler and Lustgarten, and "The Electric Arc," by Child treat the scientific and technical aspects of the arc. G. B. Barham has furnished a book on "The Development of the Incandescent Electric Lamp." "Color and Its Applications," and "Light and Shade and Their Applications," are two books by Luckiesh which deal with lighting from unique points of view. "The Language of Color," by Luckiesh, aims to present what is definitely known regarding the expressiveness and impressiveness of color. W. P. Gerhard has supplied a volume on "The American Practice of Gaspiping and Gas Lighting in Buildings," and Leeds and Butterfield one on "Acetylene." A recent book in French by V. Trudelle treats "Lumière Electrique et ses différentes Applicationsau Théatre." Many books treat of photometry, power-plants, etc., but these are omitted because they deal with phases of light which have not been discussed in the present volume. "Light Energy," by Cleaves, is a large volume devoted to light-therapy, germicidal action of radiant energy, etc. References to individual articles will often be found in the various indexes of publications.
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