In article: <[log in to unmask]>  ELAINE HEUMANN GURIAN
<[log in to unmask]> writes:

> I would be very interested in knowing about those members of the
> museum-L list who are independent museum consultants (without a
> salaried museum position).
>
> I would like to know what you do, how you feel it is going, and what
> kind of services you feel you need to make your practice better.
>
>We are independent lighting consultants. Although we can and do design the
lighting for all
kinds of buildings and events, we have a done an enormous amount of designing
of lighting for
museums. For example we have lit temporary exhibitions and permanent galleries
in the Victoria &
Albert Museum, the Science Museum and the Natural History Museum, all in
London. We work all
over the world - I have lit the private art collections of members of the Saudi
Arabian Royal
family, various National treasures in Spain and worked in the US.

Lighting is obviously crucial in the museum environment, it also embodies all
the challenges of
the museum environment - how to maximise the display while not compromising the
conservatorial
demands.

One of the problems which impacts badly on the museum itself is a lack of
continuity of the
relationship with the client. For example one consultant may do a good job for
a gallery which
is commissioned by the exhibition department. To this he or she will have
learnt how that museum
works and what its policies are, its electrical layout etc. Then another
consultant is
commissioned to design the next exhibition or gallery. This designer has to
start from scratch
and learn everything - and the museum pays for these repeated learning curves.
The result is
that museums often have a complete mixture of lighting types and qualities and
no overall
appearance.

In general a museum should have a lighting master plan which is put together by
a long term
consultant who also does some temporary exhibitions etc to keep in practice. I
have done this
for one very important private art collector over a period of five or more
years and it has
really paid off. I know the collection and the buildings that house it well and
I know what
lighting equipment is available, and so I can respond to his needs instantly
and efficiently.

Hope this is helpful.

Yours,

Mark Sutton Vane.

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