Visual Counterpoint, Opus 140 (detail), 1950, Thomas Wilfred. Metal, glass, electrical and lighting elements, and a frosted-glass screen in an aluminum cabinet. Carol and Eugene Epstein Collection. Image courtesy of Yale University Art Gallery
Illuminating Lumia: Preserving Thomas Wilfred’s Legacy
GETTY CENTER
The Getty Center and Online
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In the late 1920s, artist and inventor Thomas Wilfred developed innovative “lumia instruments,” time-based artworks which dazzled and mesmerized viewers. Wilfred spoke of light as a formal art and created some of the first successful fusions of modern art and technology. Over time, his complex designs proved hard to maintain and preserve, requiring extensive care. In this conversation between collectors Eugene and A.J. Epstein with Getty curator Jim Ganz, discover the fascinating history of these instruments and how the Epsteins maintain their wonder for future generations.
Complements the exhibition Abstracted Light: Experimental Photography.