Artificial light sources are an essential prerequisite of modern global life. On the one hand, artificial light makes cultural events possible, offers social space and protection, can showcase people, objects, or consumer articles and thus lend them meaning. On the other hand, power is exercised with the targeted use of electric light: It can be used to monitor, manipulate, exclude, or even destroy.

The publication Power! Light!, edited by Andreas Beitin, offers a selection of internationally renowned positions of light art that focus on political, social, ecological, or economic topics. The transdisciplinary contributions by Andreas Beitin, Holger Broeker, Jo Joelson, Annette Krop-Benesch, Christoph Markschies, Julia Otto, and Michael Schwarz from the fields of art history, cultural studies, biology, theology and philosophy offer enlightening insights.