Yasuko Toyoshima Web Site | WORKS / 殺菌

Sterilize (2006-)

I put an ultraviolet-radiation sterilization lamp on a showcase in the Art Museum.
I installed 201 color cards into the showcase.
The lamp had been kept on irradiating on the 201 color cards over a period of time at the exhibition.
As the wavelength of 254nm ultraviolet radiation has strong sterilization, the exposed color cards had deteriorated and were discolored by suffering from the UV light.
This shortwave ultraviolet radiation destroyed the material of structure and function.

Thus inside the showcase for 'art' became a harmful lighting space.
Normally, the glass plate of the showcases in the art museums was covered /stuck with a UV Filter in order to protect the 'art' and safeguard the quality of the material.
In this time, the outside of the showcase wasn't damaged by the irradiation.
So the function of the showcase would be to protect the audience from the 'art', from something that is irradiating in it.