Light Interplay — Melanie Leung

Light Interplay

Light Interplay is an artist book created out of extensive research on the subject of light as a material. My original interest stemmed from the skylight located in my studio apartment leading to a specific genre of light that captivated my focus: the subdued blue hues of daylight, which is often associated with the cold, bleak winter months and feelings of isolation and loneliness. Despite its melancholic connotations, I found myself inexplicably drawn to this type of light during the early hours of sunrise and sunset on winter days. In contrast to its typical associations with sadness, I found that muted blue daylight had the opposite effect on me. Rather than feeling disconsolate, I experienced a sense of comfort and tranquility in its cold, uninviting quality.

Throughout this research period, various forms and visual representations of light were compiled, all crafted in an endeavor to comprehend light as a material. I documented my discoveries over the course of a 10-week exploration and consolidated reflections on my experiences. The book's chapters center on the interplay between light and various elements like form, reflection, color, and more. I delved into diverse aspects of light, exploring its physical and digital existence. Engaging in these experimental processes and generating content from them enabled me to gain a more profound comprehension of light as a material and the ways in which humans interact with it.

Materiality was carefully decided. In highlighting the aspect of light, I opted for acrylic—a readily available medium that effectively elucidates the subject matter. I observed that light reflecting off this material produced varied outcomes on each occasion. Subsequently, I blended it with an assortment of transparent paper materials, including acetate and vellum. The book cover is designed to impart the sensation of a window opening, as illustrated by the two enclosed acrylic openings. When opened, the object measures 24” x 18”.

“ In this small room, the forms created by light evoke a range of emotions during the times of night and day. Around 4:30 PM on a cold winter evening, the setting sun casts a bluish-gray toned light that enters the window. The subdued hues of blues and grays diffuse throughout the room, evoking a sense of wistfulness and isolation. Despite the emptiness of the space, it exudes a sense of tranquility, with shadows cast like a Gaussian blur over gray shapes. As the hour passes, the sun descends, casting a mesmerizing spectrum of colors across the sky, ranging from orange to purple to pink. This creates an atmosphere that is both ethereal and enigmatic, with clouds taking on a variety of organic, fluffy forms that add to the surreal feeling of standing beneath the skylight. Within the span of just two hours, the room undergoes a transformation, with different environments emerging, each evoking a distinct range of emotions, all dependent on the interplay of light and form.”

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