Gift of light brightens museum space

  Wednesday, September 2, 2015 2:00 AM
  News

Pittsburg, KS

Some might argue that the lighting in an art gallery is every bit as important as the art on display. The current exhibit in the University Gallery in Pittsburg State’s Porter Hall may be proof of just that.

The first exhibit of the season in the gallery, Cory Peeke’s “A Higher Education,” opened this week. Also on display is new lighting, a gift of Pittsburg’s American Electric Company. (Peeke, who is an art curator as well as an artist, will give an artist’s talk at 3 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 3, in Porter Hall.)

Rhona McBain, director of PSU’s Museum of Art, said the lighting gift has allowed the museum to convert from traditional tungsten bulbs to more sustainable LED bulbs, which have a lifespan of 22 or more years.

“This is a significant step for our Porter Hall galleries,” McBain said. “Lighting plays one of the more critical roles in representing the artwork correctly in an exhibition. American Electric Company’s gift will not only help the PSU Museum of Art conserve energy, but the LED bulbs give off less damaging heat toward the artwork. They showcase the artwork much better than the warm color provided by tungsten bulbs.”

McBain said that in addition to making the artwork look stunning, “my staff and I are not going to be replacing bulbs every few days!”

McBain said that in addition to American Electric Company, thanks also go to the PSU Physical Plant and the Student Government Association Fee Council for making the upgrade possible.

The University Gallery, located in Porter Hall, 202 E. Cleveland, is free and open to the public from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, contact the Department of Art at 620-235-4302 or Rhona McBain at 620-235-4296, art@pittstate.edu.