The Art Institute of Chicago recently revealed a remarkably colorful installation entitled Double Feature with Short Subject that has been described as “a giant swatchbook in the sky.” The work was designed by Margaret Honda, a Los Angeles-based artist and filmmaker who brings the filmmaking process to life through her artwork. In this sixth iteration of her ongoing project, Film, Honda adhered Rosco e-colour+ filters to color a large skylight in the museum as a way to portray film projection using natural sunlight.
The exhibit was installed in the museum’s Griffin Court, which features a nearly 300-foot-long skylight with 126 glass panes that Honda filled with various colors of Rosco gels. Her plan was to utilize the sun’s natural path across the skylight, plus the museum visitor’s motion, to mimic film projection as they walk through the space. In order to achieve this effect, Honda utilized Rosco gel filters that filmmakers also rely on to color or color-correct the lighting in their scenes.
Rosco's range of e-colour+ filters provided a solution that helped the designer and the museum achieve their collective vision. As she was designing the installation, Honda worked with Barbizon Lighting, who helped coordinate different samples as she explored the colors that she wanted to use in the space. In the end, Rosco supplied 76 different customized e-colour+ filters that featured an adhesive on one side. The museum then adhered the filter onto the exterior of every 4’x14’ skylight panel in the space.
This stunning light art installation will be on display until October 2023. The space is designed so that each museum visitor will have a unique perspective of the installation. This is because the color of the light will change based on the daylight conditions outside, and the experience will also vary based on how visitors move through the illuminated space inside.
If you’re going to be in the Chicago area this summer, make sure you experience the “giant swatchbook in the sky” and visit The Art Institute of Chicago. If you’re interested in learning more about Rosco gel filters, visit our Filters and Diffusions page.