About Light

by Elein Fleiss

Even thought I live in a dark apartment, light is very important to me. There is no beauty without light. A human being deprived of light loses his mind, but looking directly at the sun deprives him of his sight and he won't be able to see light ever again.
I prefer soft light, dawn light, twilight, winter light, storm light, end-of-the-afternoon light. These kinds of light reveal beauty. At sunset, the light is horizontal and all landscapes become magical.
On the contrary I do not like bright light, whether its light at noon with a clear blue sky or bright electrical light. Except for neon light, which I love. 
When the sun disappears and its not completely dark yet, there is a moment of melancholy at the loss of light. Then city lights take over, natural light is replaced by human light - electric stars.
In Nordic countries like Sweden there are light rooms in hospitals. The impression you get being in a light room can be compared with being in heaven. Light is at the same time very powerful and soft so that it doesn't trouble your eyes. Light therapy strongly affects your senses. When sunlight enters a room through a window and makes a pool of light on the floor, I feel joy. Light is also the source of shadows. There is no beauty without shadows.
- source of writing








This was published in Cosmic Wonder Free Press 2, by Nieves an independant publisher in Zurich, 2008.  
It is from a piece comprised of letters from friends ”about light” – Visual collaborations with Elein Fleiss (editor-in-chief of The Purple Journal), Mike Mills (graphic designer/artist/film director) and YOSHIMIO (OOIOO/Boredoms).