Light Artist Clare Brew on Dan Flavin and the Power of Light-Based Work | Christie's

Why It Matters

Recognizing light installations as collectible assets reshapes the art market, driving demand for specialized conservation and elevating the financial relevance of illumination‑based artists.

Key Takeaways

• Flavin’s fluorescent tubes use phosphor colors to emit distinct hues.
• Light art’s intangible nature creates spiritual, primal connections for viewers.
• Collectors treat Dan Flavin pieces like family heirlooms and rituals.
• Conservation of light works is now recognized as a legitimate field.
• Proper lighting ensures Flavin installations function without compromising aesthetics.

Summary

The video features light artist Clare Brew speaking with Christie’s about Dan Flavin’s pioneering fluorescent‑tube sculptures and how they shape contemporary light‑based practice.

Brew explains the physics: electrons travel the tube, UV excites phosphor, producing colors such as pink, red, yellow, blue, green and four whites. Flavin’s palette and his use of subway‑found fixtures opened a “conservation of light” niche that Brew now champions.

She describes the work’s spiritual pull, likening it to primitive firelight, and notes that collectors often refer to a Flavin piece as a family heirloom, hosting “cocktail ceremonies” when the lights are switched on.

The growing acceptance of light as a collectible medium expands market opportunities, encourages museums to invest in proper lighting infrastructure, and validates artists who treat illumination as a tangible, tradable asset.

Original Description

When an artwork is intangible, how do we hold onto it?

Many collectors begin to see their light-based works as a living presence in their collection. These objects hold a special place in their hearts. They are something to be cared for. That's why we're partnering with artist and light conservation expert Clare Brew, whose expertise extends from the neons of Tracey Emin to the fluorescent tubes of Dan Flavin.

'There is something very spiritual about owning a light-based piece of work,' says Brew. 'Because light is something we can't grasp, we can't hold. It evokes something very strong in us.'

📅 Defined Space: The Collection of Henry S. McNeil Jr. | New York | 20 May