Light that sets the stage

From 3 – 6 December 2009, at the 8th edition of Art Basel in Miami Beach, Zumtobel will draw the curtain for fascinating lighting solutions in art and culture. Furthermore, Zumtobel will present the Starbrick Masterpiece, which was created in collaboration with world-renowned artist Olafur Eliasson, at the Art Collectors Lounge.

Art Basel Miami Beach is the most important art exhibition in the United States; this year, more than 40,000 art lovers are expected to come. Over 250 selected art galleries from more than 30 countries will display paintings, drawings, sculptures, photos, installations and videos. Already for the fourth time, Zumtobel will present its innovative lighting solutions and selected masterpieces in this exclusive setting.

The medium of light’s dimension of experience, both in architectural and aesthetic terms, plays an ever more important role, also when it comes to art. Light is not only of practical use, it is above all an emotional medium as well, which selectively creates an atmosphere, subtly conveys messages, and unfolds a special creative power in the interplay with space and architecture. Zumtobel’s lighting solutions for art and culture show how sensitivity in creative design can be combined with the increasing demand for energy-efficient lighting.

Starbrick by Olafur Eliasson
Modulation of space and light

The Starbrick is a fascinating experiment with light modulation and space. In recent years, Olafur Eliasson’s studio has performed a series of lighting experiments in collaboration with Zumtobel. During one of those experiments they decided to test different qualities and hues of LED light, placed within the individual modules, which eventually resulted in the current Starbrick. Its LEDs are organised to emit white light while also creating a luminous yellow and kaleidoscopic core in the shape of a cubeoctahedron. The LEDs are dimmable and have various light settings, offering both functional and ambient light.    

Arcos spotlight system by David Chipperfield
Functional design – maximum lighting comfort

Zumtobel’s Arcos spotlight and wallwasher system comprises a complete range of spotlights to be used world-wide and fitted with various optics to illuminate museums, art galleries, exhibition areas and shops perfectly. The variety of optics, light sources and accessories available is unique in the market, allowing architects and designers to create complete solutions to perform any lighting task.

The new Arcos luminaire range once again underscores Zumtobel’s lighting technology expertise in the area of functional lighting for museums, exhibition areas and art galleries. The spotlights’ compact dimensions and straight-line design are in harmony with their perfect proportions, which is the result of Zumtobel’s collaboration with the renowned David Chipperfield architects’ studio. This collaboration made it possible to design a spotlight range which focuses on essentials – optimum lighting convenience.

Supersystem by Supersymetrics
Minimum use of materials – maximum lighting comfort and energy efficiency

Thanks to its compact and clear shape, the lighting system designed by Supersymetrics blends unobtrusively into the surrounding architecture. The
Superspot LED gives light a special appeal. A variety of spotlight models, a wallwasher module and the option of integrating indirect lighting make the Supersystem the number one for sophisticated lighting tasks. The extremely compact, energy-saving Superspot LED is ideal for accent lighting, even from high fixing points. Requiring only 2.5 W per spot instead of the prior minimum of 50 W, spotlighting of objects in a focussed and multi-facetted way is possible from a height of five to six metres. The LED ensures UV and IR-free light for gentle illumination. A variety of colour temperatures ranging from warm 3,200 K to cool 6,000 K create the required atmosphere in the room. High-quality reflector technology ensures uniform illumination without any flaring effects. The entire object with all its details is subtly but impressively set centre stage.