The Light Fantastic 2026

Invented by Humphry Davy around 1802, the carbon arc lamp is seen to be the first electric light, although powered by batteries. For the seven decades following, many inventors experimented, trying to create an electric light, one that would be more viable for widespread commercial use. In 1874, a Canadian patent for a light bulb was filed by Henry Woodward and Mathew Evans in Toronto, but their attempts to commercialize their lamp were unsuccessful. Eventually, they sold their patent to Thomas Edison in 1879. Edison improved the filament and vacuum sealed chamber and, in the 1880s, the electric light bulb was finally made available for industrial and domestic use. Edison's first electric light demonstration, which took place in 1879, was a transformative event, symbolizing a new ability to dispel the night, lighting the way toward a new era. Victorians saw the electric light and the force of electricity (or 'the lightning') as having an almost religious power. For many, the possibility of bright, far-reaching, long-lasting light at the flick of a switch was nothing short of miraculous. Today, we take the miracle of electric light for granted. Our world is permeated and saturated by artificial light emitted from a myriad of sources day and night. In a strange inversion, we now find mystery, enchantment and magic in the flickering light of a candle and the bright blaze of the fireplace. This exhibition features a selection of works by contemporary artists who re-infuse light with this sense of magic and wonder. The artists use common domestic light–its fixtures, lamps and bulbs–to create immersive experiences with light that instill the everyday with a sense of the uncanny. Organized by the Art Gallery of Alberta. Curated by Catherine Crowston.