Why are most art on paper exhibitions so dimly lit?
Paper is fragile stuff. It is likely to discolour in bright light. Leave a newspaper out in the sun for a day, and then watch it go yellow over the next week. Good quality paper lasts longer, but still suffers from the same complaint. Water colours are applied in such thin layers that even small changes are very noticeable. Inks, especially the ones in roller ball pens, are light sensitive too. This is why galleries limit the light when displaying works on paper: they are trying to make the art last longer.
