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Elena,

There are several issues here.

First, will the excess light raise the light levels on other works in the gallery that are vulnerable to light damage?

Second, does the artists want the overall light levels blasting or just the individual works highlighted? If their concern is just for their individual works a lot can be done with LED lights to accent art and objects in a manner that is safer than blasting them from quartz-halogens from above. Perhaps a meeting with your lighting designer and the artist would go a long ways to achieving a compromise.

Third, you'll be setting a precedent here in allowing an artist to change your procedures and policies for museum lighting. Check your contracts and agreements in regards to that. If you accept this you may well have to have meetings with a lawyer since not only you, but your insurer will also bear liability should things go wrong and the artist or their agents come after you for damage to their works. Light damage is cumulative and permanent. So there would have to be an ironclad waiver by the artists but also you would have to see if that would satisfy your insurer as well. I doubt that would make them happy.

Cheers!

Dave

David Harvey

Senior Conservator & Museum Consultant

Los Angeles CA USA

Cityofangelsconservation.weebly.com

On Thu, Apr 16, 2015 at 1:39 PM, Elena DiGrado <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

I am about to install an exhibit soon and the artist just told me that he wants the brightest light on his work (which some are paper based). Have any of you been asked by an artist to increase light levels that are beyond the recommended preservation level? Do you think it would be wise to ask the artist to sign a waiver that releases the responsibility of the museum if light damage occurs?

Thanks,
Elena

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EmD

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