2009 In Praise of Shadows

In Praise of Shadows, part of London Design Festival at the V&A, showcased works by designers who imaginatively explore the potential of new technologies and alternative energy sources.

Taking the EU legislation on low-energy as a catalyst, the exhibition aimed to broaden debate by exploring not only how we use energy for lighting but also question how we illuminate our lives. As well as works that play on the poetics of light and fixtures that demonstrate the freedom that low-energy light sources can bring to design, the exhibition included alternative energy sources such as solar and wind power, and raised questions around excessive energy use and light pollution.

Staged as an intervention 'camping' in the V&A's Jones Galleries (Europe 1600-1800), which had closed for refurbishment, visitors went behind a hoarding and were given dynamo-powered torches to navigate the darkened galleries. Here the new lights were mysterious interlopers contrasting dramatically with ornate works still on display form the collection, and creating a rich dialogue between the contemporary and the historic.