In the world of performance art, where movements are carefully crafted and expressions transcend spoken language, lighting often plays an underestimated yet transformative role. The shadows, colors, and intensities lighting brings can create atmospheres that engage audiences deeply, intensifying every moment. Lighting artist Yilun Zhan brings a unique perspective to this art form, integrating her abstract emotional landscapes with live performance through meticulously chosen materials and intuitive techniques. This year, Yilun's collaboration with dancer Zhaonian at the UAAD Festival has offered audiences an experience that challenges conventional lighting in live dance, blending physical and emotional expression.
In our conversation, Yilun shares her inspirations, creative philosophy, her collaborations with dancers like Zhaonian, and evolving understanding of what lighting as an art form can achieve.
“When I create lighting, I imagine total darkness before me, like a black canvas. Light becomes my white brush, painting over it with the emotions I want to convey.” —Yilun Zhan
Q: How did you first come to work with dancers, and had you had similar collaborations before your work with Zhaonian?
Yilun: “My first collaborations with dancers were spontaneous, inspired by the idea of moving light. I was fascinated by the way light could mirror a dancer's body language. Before meeting Zhaonian, my work focused on standalone lighting art, creating shapes and shadows on blank walls to express themes like cosmic galaxies and musical notes. For example, I explored concepts like cosmic galaxies and musical notes, using light to craft the forms and emotions I wanted to convey. Working with Zhaonian introduced me to an entirely different level of collaboration, where I’m not just lighting the stage but really responding to his movements in real-time.”
Cosmic Galaxy Series. Image Courtesy of Yilun Zhan.
Her partnership with Zhaonian, an MFA Contemporary Dance candidate known for his emotive, modern choreography, sparked an artistic exchange that felt both natural and transformative. “Zhaonian's dance has this raw emotional quality,” she explains, “and that gave me space to create lighting that isn’t just there for visibility but feels deeply integrated with his movements and emotions. It’s really a shared process.”
Through Limits by Yilun Zhan and Zhaonian Li at UAAD Festival, Jukebox of Dissonance.
Q: How would you define what you’re doing now?
Yilun: “I define my work as a form of ‘emotional lighting.’ It’s more than creating an ambiance; it’s about projecting emotion through light to add another layer of expression to a performance. I see light as a brush for painting emotions on stage, where each color and shade becomes a vehicle for storytelling.”
She explains that, for her, lighting isn’t simply about filling dark spaces or enhancing visibility. “It’s a method for expressing what’s beyond words or movement alone,” she shares. Working with live performers, Yilun uses light almost like a language, with colors and intensities that shift to mirror the moods on stage. “For me, it’s about reaching the audience without speaking or moving myself. Light allows me to shape the mood and the atmosphere of the performance in ways that are deeply personal.”
Q: Do you see any connections between your primary work as a lighting designer and your artistic practice with lighting in performances?
Yilun: “Absolutely. Both require a deep understanding of how light interacts with spaces and people. In commercial work, though, I’m creating an aesthetic that enhances a space, often in a polished, predictable way. But in performance art, I get to let go of those constraints. I’m not trying to achieve technical perfection; I’m chasing raw emotion and responding directly to the energy on stage.”
In her commercial practice, Yilun often designs for architectural spaces, creating carefully calculated lightscapes. Her artistic work, however, lets her move beyond predefined templates. Instead of merely highlighting the space, she finds herself “drawing emotions” with light in a way that resonates more personally with the audience. “In architecture, lighting serves the structure. In performance, it serves the story,” she reflects. “Both inform each other, but it’s the emotional immediacy of live performances that keeps me creatively fulfilled.”
Music Notes Series. Image Courtesy of Yilun Zhan.
Q: What limitations do you face in this form of art?
Yilun: “One of the biggest limitations is the size of the audience. I’m using highly personal, hand-controlled lighting, which only works well in small spaces. Another challenge is creating complex effects with few materials; in live performance, you don’t have the time or flexibility to set up intricate lighting.”
These constraints, while challenging, have inspired Yilun to be inventive. “I use simple materials but carefully chosen ones that can create texture and evoke different emotions. In the end, though, lighting like this is difficult to scale up. Large audiences require digital lighting solutions, but I love the intimacy of working directly with the dancer and feeling that instant connection between light and movement.”
Q: What materials or media do you use in your lighting work?
Yilun: “I prefer physical materials that I can manipulate by hand. Reflective surfaces, translucent fabrics, and simple filters are all tools I work with regularly. These materials allow me to shape the light in immediate ways, giving me a physical connection to the light itself.”
For example, in her recent performance with Zhaonian, Yilun used reflective materials to create blue hues that subtly mimicked the shifting surface of water, responding to the dancer’s movements. “I focus on how the materials scatter or absorb light,” she explains. “It’s a tactile process, which is why I love working with materials I can adjust directly rather than relying on programmed lighting.”
Through Limits by Yilun Zhan and Zhaonian Li at UAAD Festival, Jukebox of Dissonance.
Q: Will you incorporate virtual spaces into your work?
Yilun: “Yes, I’ve begun exploring how lighting might work in virtual spaces, though I’m still attached to physical, live performance. Virtual spaces offer incredible creative freedom—light can float or flow in ways it can’t in reality, which is inspiring. I could make light pulse or light particles as if it’s alive, which fascinates me.”
In a recent virtual project, Yilun experimented with digital light effects impossible to replicate in physical spaces. “Imagine if light could ripple across a surface like water or float in the air. Digital spaces let me explore that. But while virtual work is exciting, it lacks the intimacy of real-time, live performance.” She adds, “I hope to find ways to blend these worlds, maybe by using virtual effects in live spaces without sacrificing the tactile, hand-controlled lighting that I love.”
Virtual Lighting Space. Image Courtesy of Yilun Zhan.
Bridging the Physical and the Virtual in Future Works
Yilun is animated when discussing the potential intersections of live and digital lighting, seeing a future where both forms merge seamlessly. “I envision performances where virtual backgrounds and live lighting work together, where I could respond with live light to a digital world.” She imagines future projects that bring virtual lighting techniques into physical spaces, creating performances where reality and digitality blur.
In the end, Yilun’s lighting art challenges traditional boundaries in both form and function, blending abstraction, intimacy, and emotional depth. Her work, whether in physical or virtual settings, remains grounded in her belief that light can communicate emotion, serving as a medium for shared human experience. Through her work with Zhaonian and her continued experimentation, Yilun Zhan is lighting a path toward an art form that not only complements but amplifies the emotive power of live performance.
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