Jehbreal Jackson Week 9 Contemplation

I visited the exhibit "American Monument" here at UCI which is a collection of elegiac pieces by artist Lauren Woods in honor of the victims of the systematic injustices of the United States of America. Here is one of the installations where the record players play the last words, actions of the individuals lost to race violence or police violence.

The lighting/atmosphere in museums have always intrigued the back of my mind but I rarely every gave attention to the lighting unless the choices were marked and particularly unusual. I see this as a very deliberate choice by designers of exhibits to not distract from the works themselves but to facilitate a calm, but focused attention within the viewer. The warm lighting here is simple (in contrast to other exhibits I've seen in this space) and inviting. The subject matter is harsh so the environment must contrast this to not overwhelm the viewer. When playing the records in that space I was reminded of times when I meditated during times of duress. Though the situation was chaotic there was an anchor of stillness through which one may experience the situation but not be overtaken by it. Again I find myself intrigued by the contrast of the choices on order to achieve balance and a state of engaged reflection that is necessary to process and provoke the necessary change needed to avoid such atrocities in the future.