A study on Buddhist Sculpture Exhibit Space Design Applied to the Lighting Design

(Background and Purpose) Korean Buddhist sculptures may be used as academic and artistic references for understanding the Korean culture. It is important that Buddhist art exhibitions provide audiences with artistic and religious experiences through formative languages, which are intended to guide people. Because religious sculptures are created to authenticate the existence of deities, light has been used to convey the concepts of holiness and power to audiences. Consequently, this research was undertaken to examine elements of lighting design and symbolic space design and integrate common elements for maximizing exhibition effects and an understanding of Buddhist sculpture exhibits. (Method) Therefore, this research represents an examination of general understandings regarding Buddhist sculptures and the meaning of light in Buddhist art. Further, theoretical studies on lighting design and an analysis of the design elements used frequently in symbolic space design for religious and exhibition spaces were conducted. The drawn elements were analyzed collectively to identify common elements in space designs for Buddhist sculpture exhibits. (Results) The theoretical analysis reveals the most common lighting design elements, which give meanings to spaces: experientiality, symbolism, aesthetics, “spaceness,” and recognition. Design elements for symbolic spaces are symbolism, function, spaceness, connection, and aesthetics. Overall, the elements of each area can be combined and analyzed as experientiality, symbolism, spaceness, and aesthetics. In case studies, exhibition spaces have strong experientiality and symbolism, but they are weak in the areas of aesthetics and spaceness. Typically, exhibit spaces are designed to create strong experience elements and symbolic scenes for a broad audience; they are not intended to express lopsided religious elements in the gallery areas. (Conclusions) From this study, it was determined that exhibit spaces for Buddhist sculptures must incorporate the active use of lighting design to express strong aesthetics and spaceness that maximize the audience experience; these elements come from unique expressions of symbolism and experience.