cameron art museum

Wilmington, NC 

This is the sixth year of CAM’s annual exhibition Illumination. Illumination, an exhibition of artist-made lanterns, marks the transition of the season’s change and the year’s end at CAM since 2015. This year, deep in the COVID crisis, CAM asked artists to examine their own metaphorical concept of light. Luminescence often symbolizes transformation, enlightenment, or an epiphany. Glowing lamplight might remind us of home and safety, the porch light left on for your return. We talk of our inner light or how someone can light up a room. Candles lit in remembrance show that the memory of a loved one still burns bright. The beam of a lighthouse and an airplane’s runway can guide our way. Light makes things visible, sweeping away shadows, and showing what resides in darkness.

Over 45 artists submitted work from across the United States and as far away as Canada. The work of the artists in this year’s exhibition, through content, style, and choice of material, demonstrates what light means to each person, personally. This is the largest installation of Illumination yet, and it is installed so that it can be enjoyed inside the museum and outside the museum from the reception hall window. We hope the wonder of Illumination 2020 brings light into the lives of our visitors.