LUCE estratti LUCE 318_Oldani_Le infinite stanze di Ariosto | Page 9

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There is an aspect that regards the correctness
of lighting, and another regarding interpretation.
In both cases light is a key element in the
realization of a museum itinerary or an
exhibition, and therefore the curatorial design.
From the very start, together with the curators
of the exhibition and architect Ravalli, we
wanted an arrangement that would best
highlight the extraordinary works on loan from
important museums in Italy and abroad and,
at the same time, that could recreate
the fantastic dimension of Orlando furioso.
For the design and realization of the new
lighting system, the town council of Ferrara
called a lighting designer and we are very
pleased. Was it the first time you were dealing
with a professional in the lighting sector?
We are convinced that in order to realize a good
design, the collaboration of different professional
experts who can each bring specific experiences,
competences and sensitivity, is necessary.
To successfully install a state of the art lighting
engineering system in a space that is full of
history like Palazzo dei Diamanti, so that it also
harmonizes aesthetically with the peculiar
architecture without being overpowering, and
enhances the capacity to exhibit works of art and
precious objects, was not easy to accomplish.
For this reason we thought it was right to seek the
collaboration of a lighting designer who would
work with us and help us make the right choices.
ANTONIO RAVALLI
"We described a dreamlike environment where
known figures could confront mythical
elements, generating new relations"
Mr. Ravalli, from the starting point right up to the
end you have unconditionally chosen a dark grey
colour for the walls of the exhibition, which is very
beautiful! In the Sala della Luna you have also
chosen a dark finish for the flooring, to exalt the
uniqueness of this space. Can you explain the
meaning of such a pervasive semi-darkness in the
exhibition design?
The answer is in the exhibition title. The curators
were more interested in discussing the figures
who influenced Ludovico Ariosto's imagination,
than the fortune of the literary work. Figures
who he knew or who he only imagined, studied
and idealized. This led to the decision to describe
a dreamlike environment where known figures
could confront mythical elements, generating
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new relations. The desire and madness room
that you mentioned, is a clear example of this
procedure: the flooring made of iron calamine
sheets emphasizes the darkness in which only
the moon (represented by the Roman ball on top
of the Vatican Obelisk which was believed to
contain the ashes of Julius Caesar) symbol of
Orlando's madness, and Botticelli's Venus pudica
symbol of beauty, stand out. The intention is to
create darkness and emphasize it by shaping
the lights on the works of art.
You have paid particular attention to evocative
three-dimensional objects : the Olifant, the
splendid parade saddle belonging to Ercole I, and
the jousting helmet. Can you explain how the idea
arose to place tapered showcases, characterized by
a marked verticality, in the exhibition area?
As I was trying to explain before, the exposition
includes various types of works of art – paintings,
books, objects – and their principal quality is
that they belong to the category of myths.
The intention was to try to make them "fly".
Moreover, the venue was a "gallery" for
temporary exhibitions in Palazzo dei Diamanti,
which did not adapt easily to the construction
of a non linear, "twisted" space, as in Ariosto's
dream. The figures that seemed most
appropriate, also because they fitted the story,
were the labyrinth and the forest. And with the
latter in mind, we designed the "tree-shaped"
showcases, which contain randomly arranged
mythical objects. The apparently excessive height
of the stalk of the showcases, made of structural
PMA, is to carry the technical cover which
contains the lights so that they stay out of the
visitors' field of view, and to emphasize the
suspended effect of the objects contained inside.
The tree-effect is also strengthened by the angle
of the curve of the tube: the deformations of the
thermoformed PMA sheets and consequent visual
distortion (due to refraction of the material)
contribute to accentuate the perception of the
dynamism of the "flying" objects.
ALBERTO PASETTI
"The work was entirely focused on the quality
standards to achieve"
You have been working in the mus eum lighting
sector for many years, how did relations with the
client develop with regard to the particular needs
for Palazzo dei Diamanti and what were the
differences compared to other projects of yours?
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Actually the client was not only one, but consisted
of composite, fragmented parts. On one hand,
renovation of the lighting system was triggered by
curatorial requirements and organizational and
management choices for temporary exhibitions,
on the other hand the main subject of the
professional relation was defined by the Town
Council. Consulting activities were carried out on
two fronts: an administrative front with regard to
the technical regulations and requirements of the
lighting system design, and the museum
requirements with regard to the exhibits and,
in particular, the temporary exhibitions.
Fortunately, even though complex, the project
design did not suffer because of the number of
players-clients that the council and the museum
brought together. Work was entirely concentrated
on quality standards to be met and targets to be
reached by the new lighting system and
technique. In particular, two topics arose:
the formal relation of the new system and the
architectural framework hosting it, and the
quality standard of the light flux and of each
of the lights chosen for the exhibition walls.
In Palazzo dei Diamanti, this approach was
shared rigorously and passionately by all.
One of the client's requirements was the formal
relation of the new lighting system and the
existing architecture, how did you solve this
important aspect?
As I mentioned before, the aspect of architectural
integration was dominant from the very start
of the design, right up to the end. The general
concept of the project design set the foundations
for a lighting system that would allow flexibility
in time and positions for the sources of light with
very specific angles in each of the halls. The only
solution that included a compromise consisted in
the installation of a track at a determined height
and at a specific distance from the wall. Real-life
testing was essential and enabled the evaluation
of the volumetric and chromatic impact in the
designed positions. In some way preference was
given to a minimalist effect, similar to a small
white hanging beam that could satisfy all the
requirements of the lighting system. The adopted
solution works well both formally and technically
and an agreement was reached between the
museum representatives and the Town Council
staff of the Italian architecture and monuments
protection office.
Visiting the exhibition, which is very beautiful,
it can be seen that a targeted flexibility to light