2011 - Daylight Symposium
THE LIGHT WITHIN by Vellachi Ganesan
Speakers
Vellachi Ganessan
Lighting designer
ARUP
I have always known somewhere deep within myself, lies light. In the darkest hour of the night, during the silence of a sunrise or as the sunlight filters into the thicket of a forest, I have felt the presence of this light, of myself, of my own being come forth. Moments as such hold the deepest human experiences and it is in pursuit of such moments that I continue my journey. Sometimes, I have found these moments in manmade works too, in architectural space and artistic experience. These works, from Turrell’s installations to Zumptor’s Therme, have touched me deeply and made me feel free, present and human. The presence of a certain light quality in their work speaks me in a way words cannot describe. I’ve contemplated these ideas for some time, and sought to explore them in my own ways. What is it about these spaces that make them so evocative and touching? Can I as a designer, also create such work? To answer these questions, perhaps we must ask the most basic question: What is the primary relationship between man and light?
Vellachi Ganessan has explored light and lighting from many perspectives, starting from her architectural background to her involvement in the theatrical lighting scene to her work as a light artist. Her philosophy in lighting stems from her research into the primal relationship between light and man. Having recently graduated with a master in Architectural Lighting Design from the Royal Institute of Technology (Sweden), she is currently working for ARUP Singapore as a lighting designer. She is also involved with conducting workshops and lectures in her local community.
