Page of Proposal for Lighting Fixtures 1911

This is a page of a proposal for lighting fixtures, probably made in the early 20th century by John S. Bradstreet and Company. It's interesting to think about how this simple page of text and drawings can also be considered a work of art. The whole thing has the feel of an inventory list, or a kind of bureaucratic poetry, with its descriptions of ‘one ceiling light’ or ‘one bracket over sink.’ It’s like a blueprint for creating an atmosphere. The sketches themselves are so delicate, just enough information to give you an idea, but leaving so much to the imagination. The way the page has been folded into sections feels almost like a minimalist grid. It reminds me a little of some of the conceptual artists, like Sol Lewitt, who use simple systems to create something beautiful. It embraces ambiguity by providing just enough information to spark our imagination.