DISCOVER CACIQUE | The Art of Lighting
“A room is like a stage. If you see it without lighting, it can be the coldest place in the world. ”
For those who doubt the importance of great lighting, let me ask you this: have you ever met an intoxicatingly beautiful dance partner in a nightclub, only to find their appearance jarringly average once outside in the glow of the street lamps? It happens all the time.
But why? Light is just light, right? It’s just photons and physics, a universal constant, E = mc2 and all that?
Wrong. Human vision is a fiery tango of neurobiology and psychology. The light we ‘see’ is a phenomenon that occurs entirely within our own skulls, and therefore is entirely subjective. Lighting is emotional, relative, an art form - and practically speaking, in the hands of an event designer, lighting is a powerful tool used to execute a client’s vision.
Venue + Lighting = The Vision
Lighting and venue are two sides of the same coin, and like currency, there is no value in one without the other. To the simple decorator, the venue and its lighting may be treated as independent and discrete choices. But, at Cacique, we are not decorators but designers - event magicians, masters of showmanship and theatre, crafting experiences far greater than the sum of component parts.
Put clinically: lighting can transform, enhance or create additional layers of atmosphere within the hard elements of a space that already exist. If the nightclub analogy hasn’t convinced you, consider the example to the right.
Here, Cacique Artist in the Spotlight Janeen Walker plays with the power of lighting at her recent solo exhibit Why Not Pretty? She cycled through different lighting styles to change the mood and feel of an otherwise static piece of art from moment to moment.
With this in mind, event designers cannot treat lighting as a finishing touch to an otherwise suitable venue. Instead, we must distill the target mood and atmosphere from the clients’ vision, and select both a venue and a lighting style that combine to achieve the desired result.
learn from theatre
At Cacique, we often compare great events to theatre, and when it comes to lighting, the metaphor could not be more appropriate. Just as stage directors can illuminate an actor to bring the focus onto their monologue, or hide a set change from view, event designers can similarly employ lighting to direct the attention of their audience. Compare the two images below - in one, the director spotlights the actor for dramatic effect, while in the other the event designer ‘pin spots’ the floral arrangements for emphasis.
Stay Abreast
Much of art is timeless, but event lighting - a tech heavy medium - is in a constant state of flux. Capabilities and therefore trends change steadily multiple times a year. The current hot ticket item is projection mapping technology, which involves projecting moving images and video onto irregular shaped objects like building façades, statues, stages - anything you can imagine. It can be subtle, used to add a gentle texture to a dance-floor, or downright show-stealing. The four photos below are all of Moscow’s Teatralnaya Square from a single projection mapping show.
But with all things tech, it is critical not to become a slave to the heartless churn of innovation. Before long, no doubt, projection mapping will move out of the professional space and into a DYI app on your phone, used at every 9 year old’s birthday party. While we as designers need to stay current and plugged into what is possible, we cannot afford to get swept away. The most effective lighting methods are often some of the simplest. While 8k projectors and 3D mapping can wow a crowd, they can’t hold a candle to candlelight when it comes to intimacy and romance.
Don’t Compete with the Sun
Without a doubt, the solar system’s lighting VIP is of course the Sun itself - you can’t compete with it, so don’t try. What does this mean? Well, if anyone offers to sell you a lighting package for an outdoor event during the day, it’s a good sign they are trying to fleece you.
More specifically though, if your event and venue choice align with a sunset view, incorporate it. Be mindful of where the sun will be at what times, integrating shadows cast into venue layout. Also, if you expect cloud cover or flat light, you can turn this to your advantage with an appropriate colour palette. Earthy, natural tones can work particularly well.
At the end of the day, lighting is far from an afterthought - it’s a critical element in the entire event experience, so it must fit seamlessly with your narrative. Like most good design, it is often only noticed when done poorly. A well lit event is one where your audience, upon recollection, can gush endlessly about the venue and entertainment, but struggles to recall ever seeing a single lightbulb. ;) SMS
To find out more about Cacique lighting, or how we can use our Cacique magic to bring your event to life, contact us here.