My work merges light, technology, and structure, drawing inspiration from mid-century industrial design and visionary artists like James Turrell, Isamu Noguchi, Dieter Rams, and Bernd and Hilla Becher. Studying in Japan during the 1980s deeply shaped my perspective, encouraging me to look beyond the confines of art objects to explore how pieces interact with and transform their surroundings. The different series, apertures, pixels, frames and matrix all play with different ways to frame light. #artinthedark.

“We feel proud to have one of your pieces prominently displayed in our home and it goes on every night using my automated outlet. It brings joy and wonder. Many guests just stare at it.”

Adam K – Chicago

I have been creating pieces that frame light as art for over 30 years, and have shown in many Chicago galleries including Kavi Gupta, Ten-in-one and Lyons Wier. As an interactive technologist, I embrace the new technology of LED lighting along with the programming of light sequences. My work is hand-made, with an industrial affectation, a fitting contrast to the warm, mesmerizing quality my work is meant to embody. While scaled for home use, contact me for diffferent sizes and situations.

Music and Light. The programming and sequencing is inspired by listening to music while creating the pieces. The palette I use is very much like music itself, using patterns and colors in ever contrasting and complimentary ways. I also have installed work that is sound reactive. Yet, my goal is not to mimic music but enhance its enjoyment through playful contrasts.

My work is challenging to document, much of the intensity of light is diminished through reproduction on a screen. In many ways the work is a way to combat our reliance on television and other devices to provide us with focus and engagement. The mathematics of hue, saturation and intensity harken back to my interactive work and professional ideas found at michaeldain.com. I am inspired by technology but maintain that it’s a tool to better our lives, and these pieces all explore how to engage our minds as well as our bodies to experience the here and now.