The Light Opens in Durham with Tracey Emin, Dan Flavin Exhibition
On 22 August, a new cultural hub named The Light opened its doors in Durham, England, situated in the former DLI Museum and Art Gallery. The opening exhibition, titled Victory Over the Sun: Encounters with Light, is curated by Natasha Howes and showcases pieces by artists such as Tracey Emin, Dan Flavin, Chila Burman, Steve McQueen, Olafur Eliasson, and Liz West, highlighting light art from the 1960s to the present. The centre features three galleries along with a permanent exhibit called We Are The Durhams. This £17m initiative, supported by Durham Council, MUSE, and the Arts Council, seeks to revive the cultural vibrancy that diminished after the Lumiere Festival ended in 2025. Director Tony Guillan emphasizes a commitment to contemporary creativity and local heritage.
Key facts
- The Light opened on 22 August in Durham, UK.
- Inaugural exhibition: Victory Over the Sun: Encounters with Light, curated by Natasha Howes.
- Artists include Tracey Emin, Dan Flavin, Chila Burman, Steve McQueen, Olafur Eliasson, Liz West.
- The centre is housed in the former Durham Light Infantry Museum and Art Gallery.
- The name references Bede's lunar calendar, Joseph Swan's light bulb, and Durham University's James Webb Space Telescope work.
- Director Tony Guillan: light as 'a vehicle of inquiry'.
- Cost: £17m, funded by Durham Council, MUSE, and Arts Council.
- Architects NORR remodelled the 1960s building.
- DLI collection relocated to The Story museum.
- Lumiere Festival closed in 2025 due to cost-cutting.
Entities
Artists
- Tracey Emin
- Dan Flavin
- Chila Burman
- Steve McQueen
- Olafur Eliasson
- Liz West
- Tine Bech
- Katrin Hanusch
- Natasha Howes
- Tony Guillan
- Bede
- Joseph Swan
- Cerith Wyn Evans
- Ivan Navarro
- Ceal Floyer
- David Shrigley
- Katie Paterson
- Rafael Lozano-Hemmer
- Maarten Baas
- Stuart Haygarth
Institutions
- The Light
- Durham Light Infantry Museum and Art Gallery
- Durham County Council
- The Story
- Durham University
- NASA
- James Webb Space Telescope
- Arts Council
- MUSE
- NORR
- Lumiere Festival
- Durham Light Infantry Museum
- Durham Art Gallery
Locations
- Durham
- United Kingdom
- England
- Northeast England
- North-East of England