Abstract

The paper documents how the bulb has had an impact in regards to the vernacular of places such as how the light bulb was used in Camp Dora as part of V2 production during World War Two. However, I also consider the contemporary relevance of the bulb by exploring how the move from incandescent lighting to energy saving bulbs has found a new use for bulbs as artwork and even gardens. To provide the paper with a critical and historical depth, I will draw upon the work of many thinkers such as Rene Descartes and his theory of light as well as how complex scientific theories such as The Big Bang and black hole theory are often explained through light bulb metaphors. The paper will also use literature examples of how light bulbs have been imagined, such as Thomas Pynchon's Gravity's Rainbow and the sentient 'all seeing' bulb.

How to Cite:

Halden, D., (2015) “Incandescent: Light Bulbs and Conspiracies”, Dandelion: Postgraduate Arts Journal and Research Network 5(2). doi: https://doi.org/10.16995/ddl.318