In Praise of Darkness

“For three decades, I have been fascinated by light and its ambiguous nature – a force that can be poetic, yet also powerful, destructive and blinding. But lately, I find myself captivated by darkness. In a world where night is turned into day by excessive artificial light, we forget that true darkness is vital. For flora and fauna, it is a matter of survival. For us, it is a gateway to rest, recovery, dreams and imagination.

Darkness allows us to pause. To reflect, to simply be. For millions of years, life on earth has followed the circadian rhythm of light and dark. Today, we disrupt it. And in doing so, we lose something profound.

 

As a light artist, I feel a deep responsibility to become an ambassador for the dark. In darkness, our eyes no longer dominate – other senses awaken. We begin to listen more intently, to feel more deeply, to perceive space and presence in subtler ways. Even our sight transforms: shadows reveal, rather than conceal.

Darkness adds a new dimension to my visual work – one of mystery, of stillness, of inner vision. Through my research and the work that flows from it, I invite others to rediscover the power, the necessity and the quiet beauty of the night.”

 

Diana Ramaekers

‘What happens when you no longer see darkness as the absence of light, but as a presence in its own right – a space with its own qualities, rhythms and stories?’