Bulb, tube, light-emitting diode
Light is an intrinsic component of visual art. With the technical progress of electric light and the approach of contemporary art, the light source itself became a component of artworks. Dan Flavin was considered a pioneer in the field of fluorescent tubes and represents the beginnings of this genre with two positions in the newly opened show "Neon, LED & Co." at Schauwerk Sindelfingen. In the early 1960s, he was the first to mount two commercially available fluorescent tubes on the wall and declared this construction to be art - a radical act back then. At the same time, the ZERO artists Otto Piene and Günther Uecker were experimenting with light and shadow in a completely different way. In her expansive installation "Light Steps", Austrian artist Brigitte Kowanz played with the imaginative power of light and used it to draw a staircase into the vastness of space. With Michel Verjux's work, the light itself becomes an object: when viewed from the right angle alone, the projection forms a perfect circle. And Jeppe Hein finally reflects the light present in the room with his "Sun Mirror": The polished stainless steel surface slowly rotates around the centre and reflects the surroundings at different angles. All sixteen artists on show formulate the fascination of the effect of light in their positions. This reveals the diversity of the immaterial medium, which appears warm or cold, hard or soft, loud or quiet and colourful or white.
With the presentation of the collection, Schauwerk also aims to communicate interesting facts about the materiality, technical variance and conservation of light art. An extensive supporting programme will shed light on various aspects of the topic in guided tours and discussions, such as a tandem tour with in-house conservator Jonathan Debik and art historian Christine Klenk, who will discuss the challenges of conserving light art. After all, the EU's ban on fluorescent lamps also has an impact on the art in our collections. Director Andreas Beitin from the Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg will be visiting next year for an art talk. And visitors can approach the topic from a scientific perspective on the tandem tour Art & Physics with physicist Marc Scheffler.
The Schauwerk Sindelfingen is a private museum dedicated to the art of the Schaufler Collection. The building was integrated into the former production buildings of the Bitzer company by BFK Architekten from Stuttgart, who incorporated the steel structure into their design. A further building was opened in 2022, which today houses the museum administration including the restoration workshop and art education centre, the depots and a café.
NEON, LED & Co.
Until 10 August 2025
Opening hours:
Wednesday to Sunday 11 am to 6 pm
Schauwerk Sindelfingen
Eschenbrünnlestrasse 15
71065 Sindelfingen
