In the ancient courtyard of the historic Brera Art Gallery, the acclaimed British artist Es Devlin created a rotating 《Library of Light》 (Library of Light), unveiling a captivating prelude to the 2025 Milan Design Week.
This piece of installation art is more than just a static display—it’s a dynamic poem about light and knowledge, inviting people to reconsider the relationship between perception and understanding within the interplay of light and shadow. The circular library is centered around a precision-engineered rotating mechanism, showcasing diverse moods through the shift between natural and artificial light. During the day, sunlight flows through the transparent bookshelves, casting dappled, moving shadows onto the ancient courtyard floor, resembling the gentle stream of knowledge through space. As night falls, a meticulously designed lighting system transforms the atmosphere completely—light dances between the shelves like a silent symphony, opening up new possibilities for dialogue within knowledge.
Displayed on the bookshelves of the installation are over 3,000 books, all donated by the Milan-based publisher Feltrinelli. Spanning from classical to modern discourse on optics, from Newton’s optical theories to Einstein’s theory of relativity, from Plato’s allegory of the cave to contemporary optoelectronic technologies, visitors can immerse themselves in an environment that not only captures the enchanting interplay of light and shadow but also invites them to rethink the role of light in human civilization through these texts, feeling the profound connection between literature and light.
Date: April 7 – 21, 2025
Time: 9 am – 9 pm (Collective Reading at 8 pm each evening)
Address: Pinacoteca di Brera – Cortile d’Onore
(Free Admission)
Source @isaloniofficial @esdevlin @designboom
