The Light Magic of Ingo Maurer

One of the most technologically advanced and innovative lighting designers of the last quarter century, Ingo Maurer has produced a body of work described variously by critics as “astounding,“ “dazzling“ and “poetic.“ Installations of this internationally acclaimed artist’s work will illuminate the museum’s eighteenth-century French salon as well as contemporary design gallery 170 this winter.

Maurer’s work ranges from feather-winged light bulbs and folded paper lights to architectural installations. He has exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art, New York, as well as in Rome, Paris, Munich, Frankfurt, Leningrad, and Barcelona. His lighting projects have included the Tel Aviv Opera House, the Munich subway system, and a commissioned piece for Toronto International Airport. His most influential and copied design is his 1984 low-voltage “Ya-Ya-Ho“ system, in which halogen lamps of different sizes, shapes and materials, selected by the owner, are hung on wires that stretch wall to wall.

Maurer’s installation in the museum is supported by Collab, a non-profit organization founded in 1970 that raises funds for the museum’s modern and contemporary design collection, which now includes over 1000 works. Each year, Collab presents its prestigious Design Excellence Award to a design professional who has made a significant contribution to the field; this year’s award was presented to Ingo Maurer on November 20, 2002.

About the Grand Salon from the Château de Draveil

The Grand Salon, located in Gallery 260 of the Museum, was the centerpiece of a magnificent château built by Marin de la Haye at Draveil, about twelve miles south of Paris. Used as the state room for formal receptions, the salon was decorated to demonstrate his wealth and status with immense mirrors, carved and gilded paneling and plaster reliefs; it was purchased by the Museum in 1928.