After having been closed for more than 10 years, the Kunstkammer was again opened to the public in March 2013, with the aim of making the history of the Habsburg collection and its most important figureheads known to an interested public of today. The highest conservational requirements, content-related didactic criteria, but also emotional and aesthetic factors played an equally essential role for the new presentation of this cabinet of curiosities. Yet, the approx. 2000 exhibits could not be more different in nature: among the highlights are outstanding works of the goldsmith’s art, such as the famous Saliera by Benvenuto Cellini, first-rate specimens of sculpture, such as the Krumau Madonna, masterly bronze statuettes, delicate ivory items, but also precious clocks, games and scientific instruments.
Zumtobel has developed a customised LED lighting solution in order to obtain highly differentiated, gentle and effective illumination of the various objects on display. At the heart of the lighting solution is the Starbrick, a Zumtobel Masterpiece developed in collaboration with Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson. Boasting unpretentious elegance and multi-functionality, the Starbrick is the only representative of contemporary art and cutting-edge technology in these rooms of the museum that were opened for the first time in 1891. The installation includes a total of 51 Starbrick assemblies consisting of four modules each, especially designed for illuminating the unique and sensitive works of art. Additional direct light is ensured by integrated Supersystem spotlights and indirect light is provided by a Panos Infinity module, while one of the Starbrick's surfaces that is directed downwards doubles as emergency lighting.
In addition to LED Supersystem spotlights mounted on the walls, individual Supersystem spotlights were also installed in the showcases. Especially in the showcases, each of them a highly sensitive closed system, the benefits of LED technology can be fully exploited. Thus, light-emitting diodes not only boast a long service life and high energy efficiency, combined with reduced maintenance cost, but also ensure effective and at the same time gentle presentation of the exhibits. Moreover, the light colours can be individually matched to the colours and materials of the exhibits, so that the latter can unfurl their full charm and allow visitors to experience them authentically.
Dr. Sabine Haag “We wanted to show this unique collection in the right light, literally.”
Dr. Sabine Haag, director of the Vienna Museum of Art History
The Museum is a walk-in synthesis of the arts in itself, enhanced by a unique and multifaceted art collection that adds to the success and fascination of the Kunstkammer Wien. With respect to the new presentation, the main challenge was to create a contemporary lighting design that remains in the background and lets the exhibits take centre stage.
Hence, a collection that had not been open to the public for eleven years can now be experienced in all its modernness, multifacetedness and absolute quality. The intelligent integration of daylight results in softly modulated light, so that the collection is presented in a different lighting scene in summer than in winter, and visitors will perceive it differently in the morning light than in the evening.
“The atmosphere conveyed by the 16th century exhibits finds its continuation in the Starbrick chandeliers.”
As functionality was a prerequisite for installation of the chandeliers, the Starbrick had to be modified for the actual room situation, in collaboration with Olafur Eliasson. Of course, Ms Haag and her team were fully aware of the risk to polarise when integrating a contemporary element into a historical artwork complex. But after all, the Starbrick reflects many developments that the exhibits have already gone through. Like the 16th century exhibits, it represents a combination of cutting-edge technology, art, absolute perfection and an attractive appearance, not least because its crystalline shape is also found in many exhibits. Therefore, at a room height of six metres, a second level of artworks was created, but in contrast to the exhibits, these artworks do fulfil a function, too.
“It was clear to us that in order to present the best collection, we wanted to collaborate only with the best partners as well.”
Obviously, sustainable preservation of the exhibits had been given top priority. Against this background, the decision in favour of gentle and authentic LED lighting was a matter of course. Beside the ambition of creating an innovative and future-oriented solution able to llast for decades, in contrast to a temporary exhibition, collaboration in this project was above all characterised by unwavering trust in the partners' skills and their commitment to quality without any compromises.
HG Merz “This collection is one of the most important things I will exhibit in the course of my career.”
HG Merz, architect and museum designer
With the technical aspects covered by scientists and engineers, it is important for HG Merz to consider things from the visitors' point of view as well when designing such an exhibition. He welcomes the opportunities arising from the new media, so that the stories behind the exhibits can be told, the exhibition thus becoming accessible at several levels.
“The magic of these rooms, which are outstanding in terms of architecture, is highly dependent on light.”
He puts himself in the visitors' shoes also when it comes to lighting. Lighting design is a decisive factor in maintaining the magic of the exhibits and the rooms. Hence, a variety of lighting scenes are used, taking into account the existing architecture of the Kunstkammer and emphasising its expressive ceiling design, colours and materials, on the one hand, and setting the exhibits themselves centre-stage, on the other hand. Beside the layout of the rooms, which had originally not been used as a classic cabinet of curiosities, and their furniture, the biggest challenge was the multitude and heterogeneity of the exhibits.
“Light should be visible.”
While the focus with respect to the lighting solution developed for the exhibition showcases was primarily on remaining unobtrusive, the requirements for a chandelier comprised far more aspects. It should not only bring light to a room, but serve other purposes as well. The Starbrick by Eliasson has made it possible to integrate a work of art that meets all requirements and at the same time adds another, more contemporary feel to the rooms.
Franz Kirchweger “The success of this project results from the high willingness displayed by all those involved to approach one another and make compromises in order to bring out the best as a team.”
Dr. Franz Kirchweger, curator of the Vienna Museum of Art History
The new presentation of the Kunstkammer involved a certain amount of tension, since the historical 19th century building had never really been adapted to the requirements of a modern museum, so that a number of adjustments to the building's structure were required. Moreover, the presentation was to equally meet scientific, conservational and aesthetic requirements and nevertheless cast a spell over visitors. In collaboration with HG Merz, an exhibition concept was developed that takes historical architecture into account, but also creates new accents and thematic priorities in terms of content, so that visitors will be able to see the valuable exhibits from a different angle.
“Artificial lighting is to enable visitors to experience the exhibits as authentically as possible: wood that looks like wood, a piece of rock crystal that does not just look like glass, but is resplendent in all its multifacetedness.”
The aim to stick to the original idea of the building as a daylight-based museum raised a number of lighting design issues. Moreover, the building's architecture with its high ceilings and very spacious halls required an innovative approach to create a pleasant and inviting atmosphere. Thanks to installation of the chandeliers, general room lighting could be achieved that serves as high-quality functional lighting as well. In particular the sculptures, which due to their three-dimensional quality present completely other challenges to the lighting system than paintings, benefit from these conditions.
During the design stage, when a decision had to be made regarding the light sources, it was already foreseeable that very good results could be achieved with LEDs. Thanks to the technological progress made in the past years, the results even exceed any expectations: the materials and colours of the exhibits can be authentically experienced and are enhanced to optimum extent; at the same time, the LEDs meet all requirements in terms of conservation and sustainability.
Olafur Eliasson “Throughout the history of art, existing laws and the creation of reality have been questioned many a time – this is why the Starbrick fits perfectly into the Kunstkammer.”
Olafur Eliasson
Art and industrial design have more in common than you would think. Art is a language the ambition and quality of which depend on the things expressed with it. For Eliasson, industrial design is above all a method to make an artistic statement. The Starbrick is a work of art that is detached from the elitist standing of art and definitely more accessible via the principle of reproduction. As a system assembled from individual modules, the Starbrick is an artwork that will never be finished and can always be formed into new shapes. Hence, the Starbrick is an element that can be combined and added, but also a luminaire that is part of a bigger ensemble. For the chandeliers installed in the Kunstkammer in Vienna, the Starbrick's lighting intensity level was slightly increased due to the high ceilings, but their shape has remained unchanged. In accordance with the historical