Light Therapy
Apolonija Šušteršič
November 28, 2018 – April 29, 2019
Floor 4
Our second Art in Use project is Light Therapy by Apolonija Šušteršič.
Light Therapy is a room filled with a generous amount of light to simulate a bright, sunny day. Exposure to light is used as a treatment for seasonal affective disorder (SAD), milder winter blues and sleep disorders caused by jet lag and overwork, or lack of daylight. Because it has no proven side effects and everyone can use it, light therapy can improve our busy lives and make us feel happier.
However, the subject of happiness is always related to a specific context or situation where light therapy is installed. In this context, it allows visitors to a contemporary art museum to be aware of its role in society today.
Light Therapy was originally produced for the Moderna Museet in Sweden in 1999, to explore how contemporary museums function as a public space, and as a social or healing device. The project was restaged at the Van Abbemuseum, The Netherlands in 2014, where Apolonija began to also consider new forms of artistic practice that are socially engaged — those which involve people and communities in debate, collaboration or social interaction. In its third iteration at MOCA, we add to this developing research, thinking about how museums might be places that support wellbeing, and more recently as spaces that support mental health.
Drinks are permitted on Floor 4 for Light Therapy.
Interested in a private session? You can book the Light Therapy room
Visit once or as often as you need. Book the room for:
- Meetings
- Book clubs
- Meditation
- Private sessions
Light Therapy reservations are only available to members.
To become a member, sign up online or visit us at the Welcome Desk at the museum.
Light Therapy is open to the public during regular museum hours with the exception of any reservations Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays (10:30-11:30am).
How to book the Light Therapy room:
- Light Therapy can be booked by MOCA Members for a 60-minute time slot at 10:30am on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
- The room can accommodate groups of 1 – 10 visitors
- Each visitor will need a general admission ticket to enter the museum, tickets can be booked online or in-person. From January 7 to February 13, tickets are pay-what-you-can and donations are accepted in-person only.
