Brought to Life

An Exhibition Design Project

At Smith College Museum of Art in Northampton, Massachusetts, LEE²DESIGN worked on the Brought to Life: Painted Wood Sculpture from Europe, 1300–1700 exhibition. The exhibition explored the creation and reception of painted wooden religious sculptures in Europe between the 13th and 18th centuries. During this time, these sculptures were perceived as alive rather than as inanimate art, and their lifelike appearance was integral to their function as vessels of religious significance. Viewers would have interacted closely with them, touching, holding and worshiping them. 

LEE²DESIGN kept the original purpose of the sculptures in mind when designing the exhibition space and aimed to recreate the original interactive experience. Just as the wooden sculptures would have been illuminated by candlelight, the gallery was dimly and warmly lit to reproduce the lifelike quality the sculptures were meant to possess. They were similarly raised on plinths to meet the viewer at eye-level, reinforcing their weight and animated purpose. Moreover, to emphasize the curatorial vision of experiencing an enchanted forest and to connect the sculptures to where their material was taken from, LEE²DESIGN worked with the installation staff to apply light filters to the gallery to create a dappled, forest-like effect, as if daylight were trickling in through the leaves above. As a result, walking through the exhibition was a visceral and timeless experience that enabled visitors to interact with the sculptures in the same way that a historical person might have.

Client: Smith College Museum of Art

Location: Northampton, MA

Year Completed: 2022

Image Credits:

Smith College Museum of Art