Blinding... Roz Tappenden sees the light at the Hayward Gallery's glowing retrospective of the work of Dan Flavin.
Impact is the name of the game at the Dan Flavin exhibition but you could be forgiven if you instinctively reach for your shades as you pass through the doors from the Hayward Gallery’s lobby into the main exhibition space.
A dazzling green fluorescent lamp installation spans the room, providing a blinding introduction to Dan Flavin: A Retrospective, on display until April 2 2006.
Bright lights and vibrant colours fill the walls, corners and corridors in a stripped-back version of the Hayward Gallery.
Flavin, who died in 1996, was one of the most innovative figures in last century and was a key figure of the minimalist movement in the 1960s.
This vast body of work has been brought together from institutions around the world and combines to make an impressive light show that bathes every wall in a different shade.
Surprisingly, all of the pieces on display are formed of ready-made fluorescent lights, in standard two, four, six and eight foot lengths, and with no more than ten colours.
The exhibition is the first comprehensive look at Flavin’s work and charts the development of his 30-year career.
One room is dedicated entirely to his drawings, sketches and designs that give an insight into Flavin's early working methods.
The rest of the space presents his light installations – corner pieces, corridors, barriers and room-sized installations. There is no need for spotlights – without the installations the gallery would be plunged into darkness.
The most intriguing works are Flavin’s corner pieces that feature one or more tubes which are backlit with other colours, creating dramatic sunsets on bare white walls.
Flavin preferred to call his installations ‘situational’ art and his works were designed with particular spaces in mind.
He described his light pieces as ‘as plain and open and direct an art as you will ever find’.
Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE18XX, England
T: 0871 663 2519
Open: Daily 10am – 6pm
Late night opening, Fridays until 10pm
Quietest times to visit the gallery are Monday and early weekday mornings.
Closed: Closed 1 January, 24-26 December.
