Cloud Songs on the Horizon – Ranjani Shettar

Project Overview:

Commissioned by the Barbican in partnership with the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, Cloud Songs on the Horizon was artist Ranjani Shettar’s first major institutional show in Europe. We were invited to provide lighting design and technical support for five large-scale, site-specific suspended sculptures throughout the Conservatory.

Client:

Ranjani Shettar

Project Lead:

Barbican

Date:

September – December 2023

Location:

Barbican Conservatory, London

Project Overview

Commissioned by the Barbican in partnership with the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, Cloud Songs on the Horizon was artist Ranjani Shettar’s first major institutional show in Europe. We were invited to provide lighting design and technical support for five large-scale, site-specific suspended sculptures throughout the Conservatory.

Objectives:

To softly illuminate five delicate, handcrafted sculptures throughout the Barbican Conservatory — ensuring each artwork’s texture and form was revealed respectfully, without overpowering the natural environment.

Brief:

LUX was tasked with designing and installing a discreet, sensitive lighting scheme that supported Shettar’s materials and the Conservatory’s lush foliage — enabling visitors to discover the works organically across multiple viewing points.

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Project Fulfilment

Conceptual Design:

Working closely with Ranjani Shettar’s team and Barbican curators, we developed a lighting strategy that complemented the organic shapes, subtle materiality and ambient context of the conservatory — working in harmony with the living environment.

Technical Design:

We specified low-heat LED fixtures capable of render colour detail while protecting the surrounding plant life. Lighting rigs were discreetly integrated into the conservatory structure to ensure shadows and highlights enhanced the sculptures’ material textures.

Project Management:

Our team coordinated timelines with Conservatory access, horticultural scheduling, artist-led install considerations, and safety protocols — ensuring minimal disruption to the botanical setting and public visitation.

Installation & Build:

Each sculpture was gently lit using layered lighting techniques that revealed translucency and movement. Fixtures were mounted off-site and installed with care, ensuring cables and hardware were hidden and compliant with the fragile environment.

Event Delivery:

The lighting remained consistent throughout the exhibition’s run. As plant foliage shifted and natural light changed with the seasons, our system preserved visual clarity and emotional tone — allowing artwork to feel alive at all times.

Technical Insight

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