Show Notes
Light carves stories from darkness, transforming spaces into emotional journeys that transcend mere illumination. Abigail Honor and Brenda Cowan explore the sculptural art of lighting design with Steven Rosen, founder of Available Light and recipient of the Edison Report’s Lifetime Achievement Award. From his theatrical roots to museum environments, Steven reveals how lighting designers serve as storytelling enablers—elevating narratives through orchestrated moments of revelation and concealment. The conversation explores the balance between presence and absence of light, collaborative design processes, and Steven’s work co-founding SEGD’s Museum Exhibition Professional Practice Group during challenging times for cultural institutions.
More from Matters of Experience
What can museums learn from underground raves, video games, and experimental music? In this episode of Matters of Experience, ACMI Director and CEO Seb Chan shares his remarkable journey from Sydney’s early electronic-music scene to leading one of the world’s most innovative museums of screen culture. Seb explores how immersive experiences can spark curiosity without excluding audiences, why visitors often know more than institutions about the media they love, and how museums can provide the context that makes those connections meaningful. Enjoy a lively conversation about creativity, participation, and designing experiences that welcome everyone into the unfamiliar.
Charles Philipp believes museums can be small, surprising, and everywhere. As the founder of MICRO (www.micro.ooo), he creates immersive, research-driven exhibitions that fit into everyday settings, reaching audiences in hospitals, libraries, and other public spaces that traditional cultural institutions may overlook. In this conversation Charles traces the path from his early work in animation and fabrication to building a new kind of museum infrastructure. He discusses how MICRO designs for short attention spans without sacrificing depth, how optical illusions and tactile details can spark curiosity, and why exhibitions should speak with communities rather than at them. The episode explores the impact of MICRO's public-hospital installations during COVID, the value of rapid physical prototyping, and a new project that turns a retro refrigerator into a museum about food, biology, culture, and the microbiome.
In this episode, we speak with Dr. Josh Perelman about the power of museums to shape memory, identity, and emotional connection. Through the story of The First Salute exhibition, the conversation explores how objects, narratives, and technology can bring overlooked histories to life. Dr. Perelman reflects on the responsibility of museums to create space for empathy, complexity, and multiple perspectives, while also discussing how AI and digital tools may change the way audiences experience the past. This episode offers an insightful look at how cultural institutions can move beyond simply presenting history and instead invite visitors into deeper conversations about who we are, where we come from, and how stories continue to shape our shared future.
What defines excellence in experiential design? In this episode of Matters of Experience, Abby Honor and Brenda Cowan welcome Travis Stanton, an award-winning editor, strategist, and global design competition leader. Travis reflects on his role judging the “World Expolympics” at Expo 2025 Osaka, offering a behind-the-scenes look at how international pavilions are evaluated. From emotionally resonant small-scale exhibits to spectacular multimedia environments, he explains why the strongest experiences are rooted in clear ideas rather than big budgets alone. The discussion also dives into trends shaping the industry and the evolving role of AI.
What does it take to turn a blank space into an unforgettable experience? In this episode, Carl Rhodes—Creative Director and exhibit design veteran—pulls back the curtain on the creative journey behind today’s most engaging museums. Starting as a painter unsure of his path, Carl shares how a willingness to explore led him into exhibition design, where storytelling, space, and technology intersect. He discusses how great ideas rarely arrive fully formed, but instead emerge through collaboration, iteration, and a bit of creative chaos. From rethinking how visitors connect with history to shaping experiences that resonate emotionally, Carl explores how narrative and physical interaction influence what we remember. Along the way, the conversation tackles key questions: When should designers enter the process? How do you balance innovation with authenticity? And what role should AI play in creative work? It’s an honest, thought-provoking look at designing experiences that truly connect.