Week #7 - Functional or Ornamental?

This week I'm thinking about functionality versus ornamentation in lighting. It seems that one reason I haven't been drawn to a great many examples of artificial lighting is that much of the light I see in everyday life is designed primarily to be functional. We naturally like to look at "pretty" light because as choreographers we enjoy light which makes our dancers look good. However, there is a fine balance to be struck when we design the light for our pieces between the functionality of the light (does it illuminate the form sufficiently to see the movement, does it convey the meaning of the piece, etc) and do we "like" it. I want to get away from the need to always try and make my dancers look pretty, especially when another approach might better serve the needs of my piece. As I was walking to my car, my attention was caught by this lovely glowing orb of light rising up above the treetops. Unlike most streetlamps, the light from this one shone bright and clear, and seemed to shed most of its illumination on the leaves and branches below it, highlighting the beauty of the foliage. While I assume this light was made in order to serve a specific purpose like that of an ordinary streetlamp, I couldn't help but appreciate the attractiveness of the setup. I hope to strike such an admirable balance between functionality and aesthetics in my own future designs.