By Lisette Schumacher
30 x 25 cm, 2022
Acrylic on panel

From the series Spectral Shift

In 2020 Lisette visited the church of Saint-Pierre in Firminy-Vert, France. Le Corbusier incorporated slots in the church walls in order to enhance a suspensive atmosphere with indirect lighting. He was inspired to create these slots by studying Boeing airplane windows and the vaulting openings of the Hagia Sophia mosque in Istanbul Turkey.
Lisette visited the church twice; closely observing the changing intensity of the different indirect light sources implemented in the church walls. In the upper level plan where people attend the services these mysteriously glowing slots can be seen covering the entire wall of the cone shaped building. The multi colored slots look like a joyful band of color, reminiscent of a rainbow spectrum.
The slots are slanted down to eliminate exterior views while opening below to catch indirect light as it bounces off the ground outside. They are painted in primary hues to tinge and give an added presence to the indirect light from outside. Despite a total absence of windows in the church, this ring of color makes a symbolic gesture to link nature to the church. Reminding onlookers of the glow of color visible along the horizon at dusk; the transition between day and night. Lisette took the multi colored slots as a starting point to create a vibrant, playful series of paintings, visualizing the spectral colors and nature’s transition between day and night.