The Institute of Media, Social Sciences and Humanities and the People and Technologies of the Urals Educational Museum and Exhibition Complex have presented a “Let There Be Light!” exhibition.
Guests crowd in the scantily lit exhibition hall of the university. It is very strange: exhibits do not have sufficient lighting. But things are not that simple. The full value of electric light is revealed through the darkness.
“This exhibition has a very outstanding title. Light has attracted people’s attention for centuries, and therefore they have been trying to unfold its mystery, invented new technologies and light sources. And namely light is the source of development and progress for humanity. I want to say that this exhibition amazes the imagination with a creative approach, an interesting vision of the exhibit concept,” noted Director of the Institute of Media, Social Sciences and Humanities Lidiya Lobodenko in her welcome speech.
The mystery begins to unfold with a small fire, representing the first source of light obtained by man.
“Light is probably one of the broadest concepts. Life appeared on Earth and still exists thanks to it. And light, amplified by optical devices, reveals to us two opposite worlds: cosmic and microscopic ones,” said archaeologist, Head of the SUSU People and Technologies of the Urals Educational Museum and Exhibition Complex Iulia Vasina.
Then the focus of attention shifts to religious attributes and stained glass windows. Yes, light has always accompanied people. Even in the sacrament of confession and other spiritual rituals ‑ candles remind us of this.
“At this exhibition, the material and spiritual concepts are united by a single meaning. Light is everything that surrounds us, brings good and kind,” said Director of SUSU Eurasian Studies Research and Education Centre Aleksandr Tairov.
Other stands are more familiar to modern people. Some visitors immediately recognize the light bulbs that once "lived" in their homes. The hologram with Harry Potter also attracts attention.
“What is light? The answers will be different whether you ask physicists, philosophers, power engineers, theologians, philologists, or chemists. The exhibition invites visitors to contemplate on the versatility of this concept and get to know the history of lighting: from ancient lamps of the Bronze Age to cult devices of the Soviet era,” concluded Professor of the Department of Russian and International History of the SUSU Institute of Media, Social Sciences and Humanities Andrey Epimakhov.
The organizers also expressed their gratitude for the assistance and provided exhibits to the Centre for Historical and Cultural Legacy of Chelyabinsk, Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography of Chelyabinsk State University, Division Military-historical Club, Unified State Archive of the Chelyabinsk Region, Atomic Energy Information Centre of Chelyabinsk, the parish of the Chelyabinsk Trinity Old Believers Community, Laboratory of Archaeological Research and Archaeological Local History for School Children of South Ural State Pedagogical University, the Chelyabinsk State Charitable Foundation “Jewish Charity Centre “HESED NEKHAMA”, as well as to Aleksandr Akulov, Aleksey Voronov and Andrey Gurov.