EXHIBITION "GULBENKIAN : DANS L'INTIMITÉ D'UN COLLECTIONNEUR", HÔTEL DE LA MARINE, PARIS

Exhibition “Gulbenkian by himself: in the intimacy of a collector” has started, in the galleries of Al Thani Collection in the Paris Hôtel de la Marine, until October 2.

5 principles of the collector: intimacy, preciousness, craftsmanship, diversity of origins and rarity of objects. So, the lighting had to respect all these. The scenographic and luminous enhancement of these 90 works therefore represented a very interesting but very complex work.

The highlighting of this Portuguese collection required meticulousness. Due to the smallness of the majority of the works but above all their subtlety and their variety (culture, expression, material, color…), each one has enlightened personally. They are also subtle, for example that we had to use several spotlights for a single glass vase in order to emphasize both its transparency and its paintings.

First of all, the majority of pieces are sensitive and therefore limited to 50 lux in illuminace level. We have for example a gigantic black and white photo reproduction (can be bit by bright light without limit) next to small (fragile) watercolors. In the same way, a colorful porcelain and a black statue are lighted differently, although they are neighbors in the showcase. Creating the global and coherent vision of the whole collection was not easy, not to mention the small information labels and the very white display boards.

Special attention has also been paid to the rooster, the emblem of the exhibition, in order to sublimate its different materials (precious stones, email, metal), to magnify it despite its tiny size and to bring out its extra-fine goldsmithery like lace. Besides, the showcases do not open on the sides but lifts up to access. The measurements are therefore taken from outside and the level of illumination had to be calculed and prouved mathematically.