Light Lab

Catch the light with mirrors, dance with colours and use your hands, feet and whole body to create a shadow artwork.

What

Light Lab

When

12 feb 2024 – 16 feb 2025

Where

Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam

Information + tickets

The art at the Light Lab is not in the objects and artworks on display, but in the light and its shadows. Using mirrors, lamps and your own body, you explore how to use light to create your own art. Discover shapes and colours, make them grow bigger and smaller, dance and jump on the walls and ceiling. This is the canvas where your shadow artwork lights up, moves, distorts and plays together with the art of others. But, watch out! In a flash, it can disappear again.

The installations in the Light Lab were designed by Taartrovers. They were inspired by light, space and the permanent collection and worked with used materials.

Mirror Display Cabinets

In the museum, artworks flaunt themselves in dense display cases, with your attention going to the sculpture inside. At the Light Lab, this is exactly the opposite: the display cabinet are still filled, but it’s all about the images outside. With mirrors, you catch the light and make the shadow move, grow or shrink. Create a shadow artwork with others.

Light mobile

Shadow does not let itself be caught easily and is perhaps the ultimate form of transience. Movement and reflection create an enchanting play of light that continuously changes and interacts with the shadow play of the Mirror Display Cabinets.

Dance of Colours

If you could colour your shadow, what colour would you choose? And, can you dance together? With the Dance of Colours, you discover the colour of your shadow as you dance together. Done dancing? Find a nice spot on the stairs and watch others’ Dance of Colours.

Pendulum light

Do you have one shadow or more? Crank the wheels and get moving. Swing your shadow around. Are you fast enough to move with your shadow?

Taartrovers is a collective of artists, designers and programme makers who develop (film) programmes, teaching materials and installations for young children and their families. Taartrovers let children explore, play, create and discover, shaping their feelings, images and stories.

The Light Lab for the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam was developed by: Saskia de Valk, Joris Ringers, Laura Jehle, Hans Westendorp, Floor Mulder, Petra de Valk, Tessa van Grafhorst, Floriaan Egbers, Matthias Maat, Ariaan Witteveen, Merith van ‘t Hoff, Iris van der Eijken, Remke Oosterhuis, Mik Rijnhart en Stien Meesters.

Photos: LNDWstudio

Supported by: Robben Foundation