The Role Of Lighting Decoration, Convey Stories And Live The Atmosphere

JAKARTA - In the world of performance, light is no longer just lighting. Light has become an artistic element that is able to revive the atmosphere, form space, and convey emotions and stories. Decomposition of lighting is now a separate art, a combination of technology, aesthetics, and artistic.

"Lighting conveys the message, both to performers and spectators. Light is a language that bridges the two so that the message of the show can be received in its entirety," said Matt Jones, an international lighting designer, when met at the Salihara Art Center, Jakarta on Thursday, June 12.

The art of lighting is not just a matter of light or darkness, but how to create an atmosphere and guide the attention of the audience. In the theater world, light can mark who is the center of the story, reinforce emotions, and liven up the atmosphere.

"In terms of performance, lighting helps performers on stage, who is highlighted, how emotional they are. In theaters, light has an important role to play in presenting the appropriate atmosphere," said Iwan Hutapea, founder of the Indonesian Light Arranger (PECAHIN).

Meanwhile, Johan Didik, a trainer from the Indonesian Supreme Court, emphasized the role of light in shaping comfort and closeness to the audience.

"Lighting brings emotion. When the atmosphere is created properly, the audience can dissolve and feel comfortable," said Johan.

Lighting is not only a matter of lighting that turns on, but also property selection and understanding of space. Rooms can change completely only with the game of light.

We have to have the right lighting property. Light can turn a room into whatever we want. For example, our room changes it to a club atmosphere. That's the task of lighting to create an atmosphere transformation," explained Yulius Dwiputra, Brand Manager of PT. IMS Techno Indonesia.

Yulis added that lighting is also able to create illusions and present imaginations on stage.

If you want to display water on stage, you can use a special lighting that creates an illusion of water with the light of the moon from above. That's the power of lighting in performances," he added.

In order to support professional development in the field of lighting, the Lighting Experience Days 2025 is present as a learning, exploration, and collaboration event. Held by PT. IMS Techno Indonesia together with the national light system community, this event took place on June 10, 2025 at the Dyandra Convention Center, Surabaya and June 12, 2025 at the Salihara Arts Center, Jakarta (with the Master Class session on the second day).

This event presents discussions and experiences sharing sessions with well-known practitioners, product demonstrations and the exploration of grandMA 3 software, international insight from Matt Jones, local experience from Iwan Hutapea and Johan Didik.

"We hope that this event can trigger a new spirit for the lighting designers to continue to learn, innovate, and be able to compete internationally." said Iwan Hutapea.

Not only for professionals, this event is open to anyone involved in the world of shows, ranging from theaters, concerts, event organizers, to visual art actors who want to expand their understanding of the world of lighting.