Question: How did you get involved in museum lighting?
Brian: I started in theater lighting, and then I stumbled into museum lighting. I began freelancing, and then I worked for another company that services museums and auction houses.
Q: How does museum lighting differ from theater lighting?
B: Well, the pace is much slower and calmer in a museum, but the lighting is a lot more precise. When I light a painting I make sure the piece is completely balanced because I dont think its my place to decide what the most important part of a painting is. The viewer should decide. I light sculptures in a way that gives them a sense of depththe way you would light a person on a stage.
Q: What is the biggest challenge in museum lighting?
B: Museum lighting is a very specific kind of lighting. The paradox is that light inherently damages art, so the biggest challenge is to make the art look beautiful while keeping it safe.
Q: How do you do that?
B: The light that hits each piece of art has to be measured by a light meter. The light meter measures in footcandles, which is a term that describes the effect of light from one candle from one foot away. So, for instance, all of our thangkas have to be kept at 5-7 footcandles or less to keep them safe.
Q: So you measure the light on each object individually?
B: Yes. Each individual light fixture is controlled and each light is screened with its own diffuser. Its more time-consuming, but screening keeps the proper color while cutting out excess light.
Q: Who do you work with most closely?
B: John Monaco [Exhibition Designer] and Shane Murray [Senior Art Handler]. John Monaco and I collaborate very early on in an exhibition, and we share an office so we constantly communicate. For Gateway we worked together a lot to create the object cases. John designs the cases and I design the lighting.
Q: What did you like about designing Gateway?
B: Because this is a long-term exhibition, we built permanent cases for the art, which allows for more elegant lighting. Its nice to know that this exhibition will stay up for several years.
Q: Why is light interesting to you?
B: Lighting for me is something that has taken on a spiritual nature. The concept of enlightenmentlight equaling knowledge. Working with light influences how something is viewed. It can turn something that might not be beautiful and make it beautiful. It creates feeling and emotion. It makes things expressive. Lighting matters.
Q: Why should visitors care about lighting?
B: Lighting is a large part of the calm feeling you get in this place. But it shouldnt be a conscious thought; Im doing my job if you dont notice the lights. It should feel naturally calm.
[Enter Exhibition Designer John Monaco]
Q: [To John] What would this museum be without this lighting scheme?
John: It would be everywhere else.
Brian's 'Let There Be Light' tattoo