Through the lens of art, Lighten Up! On Biology and Time explores the connection of living organisms with the natural cycle of light and dark. From fungi to ferns, from hamsters to humans, all have evolved circadian rhythms that connect them to the alternation of day and night. In our screen-based society, there is an increasing urgency to raise awareness of reconnecting to the outdoor environment. Nineteen installations transform our daily, lunar and seasonal rhythms into light- and soundscapes, immersive spaces or virtual experiences to remind us the necessity of regular light exposure for a healthy life.
We live on a rotating planet whose environment is alternating between day and night and changing daylength with seasons. All living organisms have internalised this external light-dark cycle in the form of circadian rhythms that optimally prepare the body for the right behaviour at the right time. Being exposed to enough bright light at the appropriate time of day can have significant effects in boosting our immune system, ensuring sleep quality, alertness or mood and determine our overall health.
Through a striking variety of forms and experiences, Lighten Up! employs art to explore our connection to light and the crucial role of circadian rhythms. These artworks celebrate the power and beauty of daylight, introduce us to the secrets of biological clocks, offer alternative representations of time, delve into the unicity of one’s activity cycle or probe the mysteries of sleep and dreams. Lighten Up! reminds us not only of the passage of the sun across the sky, but the necessity of regular light exposure for a healthy life. Let us regain the night and lighten up the day!