To shine (to Pippa Bacca) 2009–2025
Cosimo Piovasco di Rondò
Incandescent light bulbs, natural light, digital camera, computer
Variable dimensions
Artist’s collection / freely reproducible work
“To Shine” is a temporary installation that explores the transitory nature of all things.
The work consists of a variable number of incandescent light bulbs, simultaneously lit at an initial moment and never turned off.
These light bulbs are installed in a location visible to the public, ensuring that the message is accessible and shared with passersby. The arrangement of the elements varies depending on the context and space, adapting to the specific characteristics of the site.
At regular intervals, an automated system captures a series of photographs, documenting the light bulbs along with the surrounding environment. These images record the passage of time, the flow of people, and the natural cycle of day and night.
The installation concludes when all the light bulbs have burned out, leaving as its only tangible residue a series of photographs, each marked with the date and time, documenting the exact moments when the lights progressively went out.
The duration of the installation is uncertain and unpredictable, depending on the lifespan of the light bulbs. The average life of an incandescent bulb is approximately 1,000 hours, but following a Gaussian distribution, the final time depends on the number of the installed bulbs
To mitigate the environmental impact of the work, the artist commits to funding the planting of trees, thus contributing to the reduction of global CO₂ levels.
“To Shine” is an open and replicable work: anyone may create their own version, citing the author. The work is conceived as a musical score, inviting personal interpretation that varies with each new execution.
Ehibition:
PIPPA BACCA: INNESTI
con un’installazione di Cosimo Piovasco di Rondò
a cura di
Mirco Marino e Rosalia Pasqualino di Marineo
Palazzo Morando | Costume Moda Immagine
via Sant’Andrea 6, Milan
March 29th – September 7th 2025