Considering the negative effects that extensive exposure to light energy has on certain collections, many institutions, conservationists, and curators have turned to LED (light emitting diode) technology. By doing so, objects can be illuminated for public exhibition while significantly reducing the amount of harmful ultraviolet energy that causes extensive deterioration in cultural heritage objects.

 

Inspired by successes in using color LED lighting to correct faded color in museum objects, such as Mark Rothko’s Harvard murals, I claim that LEDs can also be used to correct color faded motion picture film during projection. By substituting a projector’s incandescent bulb with a fixture that allows a projectionist to produce a variety of colored LED lights through motion picture film, it is possible to project the color of specific faded film dyes back into the film stock as it is  exhibited. As of this moment, restoring color faded film prints is an expensive and time consuming process. If successful, this experiment could broaden exhibition capabilities for institutions that have access to faded prints in their collections, who might otherwise abandon these titles due to the image’s distracting visual deterioration.