Light and innovation
for culture

The Dancing Satyr, the famous Greek statue retrieved from the Strait of Sicily at the end of the 1990s, now dances in a new light. At Mazara del Vallo, a new lighting system has improved the visitor experience, while a series of personalised light scenarios ensures that the bronze sculpture can be appreciated by visually impaired visitors too.

The project is part of the Light is Back programme, through which we help enhance cultural assets so the public can better enjoy the beauty of the world’s artistic heritage.

“To reach an optimal viewing solution we carried out a number of tests regarding the actual lighting of the artwork. First, we looked at what would be the best lighting composition at a qualitative level. Then we focused on the statue’s backdrop to see whether a dark or more illuminated background would be more functional. We agreed on a solution that would light the entire statue with a dark background as that gave us a better sense of the three-dimensionality of the artwork.”

“I couldn’t help thinking it was something of a paradox that to see this artwork we, the visually impaired, had to play with lights. So, it was a real journey, through light, that has enabled us to focus on and see this artwork.”