George Sexton
Encyclopedia
Lighting and museum designer, George Sexton, was born in the late 1940s in New England
, USA.
in 1966 and received his Bachelor of Architecture Degree in 1971. Upon graduation, Sexton began his work in architectural lighting design
through his employment at Claude Engle
, Lighting Consultant in Washington, DC. He continued his work in the field of lighting design by taking a position at the National Gallery of Art
both designing and lighting exhibits. This early professional experience working in DC museums coupled with his modernist training as an architect
have been the foundations of his approach to lighting and museum design. Further shaping experiences include working as Acting Keeper of the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts
in Norwich, England, as well as the Head of the Design and Installation Department for the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
at both the M.H. de Young Memorial Museum and the California Palace of the Legion of Honor
.
In 1980, Sexton opened his own lighting and museum design firm, George Sexton Associates, based in Washington, DC, with satellite offices in Norwich, England and New York City
.
Star-Spangled Banner Exhibit, National Museum of American History Washington DC
Robert and Arlene Kogod Courtyard, Smithsonian Institution Washington DC
National Association of Realtors
Headquarters, Washington DC
Vietnam Veterans Memorial
, Washington DC
Louis Vuitton
—Roppongi Hills, Japan
Cleveland Museum of Art
Building Restoration, Cleveland OH
Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth
, Fort Worth TX—IIDA Edwin F. Guth Memorial Award of Excellence, 2003
Milwaukee Art Museum
, Milwaukee WI
Herz Jesu Kirche (Heart of Jesus Church), Munich Germany
Denver Art Museum
, Denver CO
Henry Francis DuPont Winterthur Museum
—McIntire Room, Wilmington DE
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
, USA.
Life
Sexton began studying at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, popularly known as Virginia Tech , is a public land-grant university with the main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia with other research and educational centers throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and internationally.Founded in...
in 1966 and received his Bachelor of Architecture Degree in 1971. Upon graduation, Sexton began his work in architectural lighting design
Architectural lighting design
Architectural lighting design is a field within architecture and architectural engineering that concerns itself primarily with the illumination of buildings. The objective of architectural lighting design is to obtain sufficient light for the purposes of the building, balancing factors of initial...
through his employment at Claude Engle
Claude Engle
Claude R. Engle III is an American electrical engineer and internationally-known lighting consultant, who has designed lighting schemes for many notable structures including the Reichstag and the Louvre.-Life:...
, Lighting Consultant in Washington, DC. He continued his work in the field of lighting design by taking a position at the National Gallery of Art
National Gallery of Art
The National Gallery of Art and its Sculpture Garden is a national art museum, located on the National Mall between 3rd and 9th Streets at Constitution Avenue NW, in Washington, DC...
both designing and lighting exhibits. This early professional experience working in DC museums coupled with his modernist training as an architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
have been the foundations of his approach to lighting and museum design. Further shaping experiences include working as Acting Keeper of the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts
Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts
The Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts is an art gallery and museum located on the campus of the University of East Anglia, Norwich in the United Kingdom...
in Norwich, England, as well as the Head of the Design and Installation Department for the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, comprising the M. H. de Young Memorial Museum in Golden Gate Park and the California Palace of the Legion of Honor in Lincoln Park, is the largest public arts institution in the city of San Francisco and one of the largest art museums in California.-External...
at both the M.H. de Young Memorial Museum and the California Palace of the Legion of Honor
California Palace of the Legion of Honor
The California Palace of the Legion of Honor is a fine art museum in San Francisco, California...
.
In 1980, Sexton opened his own lighting and museum design firm, George Sexton Associates, based in Washington, DC, with satellite offices in Norwich, England and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Awards
Lumen United Reform Church London UK
—IIDA Section Guth Illumination Design Award, 2009
—A|L Light & Architecture Commendable Achievement in Architectural Lighting, 2009
Star-Spangled Banner Exhibit, National Museum of American History Washington DC
—IIDA Section Guth Illumination Design Award, 2009
—A|L Light & Architecture Special Citation for Achievement in Exhibition Lighting, 2009
Robert and Arlene Kogod Courtyard, Smithsonian Institution Washington DC
—IIDA Guth Illumination Design Award, 2008
National Association of Realtors
National Association of Realtors
The National Association of Realtors , whose members are known as Realtors, is North America's largest trade association. representing over 1.2 million members , including NAR's institutes, societies, and councils, involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries...
Headquarters, Washington DC
—U.S. Green Building Council LEED Award, Silver Rating, 2005
—Citation for Sustainable Design Award – Committee on the Environment Boston Society of Architects/AIA and Committee on the Environment of the AIA New York Chapter (in collaboration with Gund Partnership), 2004
Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Vietnam Veterans Memorial
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a national memorial in Washington, D.C. It honors U.S. service members of the U.S. armed forces who fought in the Vietnam War, service members who died in service in Vietnam/South East Asia, and those service members who were unaccounted for during the War.Its...
, Washington DC
—International Illumination Design Awards – Waterbury Capital Section Award, 2005
Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton Malletier – commonly referred to as Louis Vuitton , or shortened to LV – is a French fashion house founded in 1854 by Louis Vuitton. The label is well known for its LV monogram, which is featured on most products, ranging from luxury trunks and leather goods to ready-to-wear, shoes,...
—Roppongi Hills, Japan
—GE Edison Award of Merit, 2004
Cleveland Museum of Art
Cleveland Museum of Art
The Cleveland Museum of Art is an art museum situated in the Wade Park District, in the University Circle neighborhood on Cleveland's east side. Internationally renowned for its substantial holdings of Asian and Egyptian art, the museum houses a diverse permanent collection of more than 43,000...
Building Restoration, Cleveland OH
—Cleveland Restoration Society and Preservation Resource Center of Northeastern Ohio - Technical Achievement in Preservation Award (in collaboration with Vitetta), 2003
Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth
Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth
The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth was first granted a Charter from the State of Texas in 1892 as the "Fort Worth Public Library and Art Gallery", evolving through several name changes and different facilities in Fort Worth...
, Fort Worth TX—IIDA Edwin F. Guth Memorial Award of Excellence, 2003
—IALD International Association of Lighting Designers Award of Merit, 2003
—IIDA Edwin F. Guth Memorial Award of Excellence for Interior Lighting Design, 2003
—IIDA Capitol Section Illumination Design Award, 2003
—IIDA Capitol Section Illumination Design Award of Merit – International Level, 2003
Milwaukee Art Museum
Milwaukee Art Museum
The Milwaukee Art Museum is located on Lake Michigan in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.Beginning around 1872, multiple organizations were founded in order to bring an art gallery to Milwaukee, as the city was still a growing port town with little or no facilities to hold major art exhibitions...
, Milwaukee WI
—IIDA Paul Waterbury Award of Excellence for Outdoor Lighting Design
—GE Edison Award of Excellence, 2002
—IIDA Capitol Section Illumination Design Award, 2002
Herz Jesu Kirche (Heart of Jesus Church), Munich Germany
—IIDA Edwin F. Guth Memorial Award of Excellence for Interior Lighting Design, 2002
—IIDA Capitol Section Illumination Design Award, 2002
—IALD International Association of Lighting Designers Award of Merit, 2001
—GE Edison Award of Excellence, 2000
—More Images
Denver Art Museum
Denver Art Museum
The Denver Art Museum is an art museum in Denver, Colorado located in Denver's Civic Center.It is known for its collection of American Indian art,and has a comprehensive collection numbering more than 68,000 works from across the world....
, Denver CO
—IESNA International Illumination Design Award of Merit, 1999
Henry Francis DuPont Winterthur Museum
Henry Francis DuPont Winterthur Museum
Winterthur Museum and Country Estate is an American estate and museum in Winterthur, Delaware. it houses one of the most important collections of Americana in the United States of America. It was the former home of Henry Francis du Pont , a renowned antiques collector and horticulturist...
—McIntire Room, Wilmington DE
—IESNA Capital Section Illumination Design Award, 1998
Projects of note
Sexton has undertaken the following projects:- Star-Spangled Banner Exhibit, National Museum of American History Washington DC
- Robert and Arlene Kogod Courtyard, Smithsonian Institution Washington DC
- Museum of Modern ArtMuseum of Modern ArtThe Museum of Modern Art is an art museum in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, on 53rd Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It has been important in developing and collecting modernist art, and is often identified as the most influential museum of modern art in the world...
in New York City - Hearst Tower New York
- Modern Art Museum of Fort WorthModern Art Museum of Fort WorthThe Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth was first granted a Charter from the State of Texas in 1892 as the "Fort Worth Public Library and Art Gallery", evolving through several name changes and different facilities in Fort Worth...
- Herz Jesu Kirche, a church in Munich, Germany
- Louis VuittonLouis VuittonLouis Vuitton Malletier – commonly referred to as Louis Vuitton , or shortened to LV – is a French fashion house founded in 1854 by Louis Vuitton. The label is well known for its LV monogram, which is featured on most products, ranging from luxury trunks and leather goods to ready-to-wear, shoes,...
stores worldwide - Sainsbury Centre for Visual ArtsSainsbury Centre for Visual ArtsThe Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts is an art gallery and museum located on the campus of the University of East Anglia, Norwich in the United Kingdom...
, University of East Anglia, Norwich, England - Asian Art Museum of San FranciscoAsian Art Museum of San FranciscoThe Asian Art Museum of San Francisco is a museum in San Francisco, California, United States. It has one of the most comprehensive collections of Asian art in the world....
- Denver Art MuseumDenver Art MuseumThe Denver Art Museum is an art museum in Denver, Colorado located in Denver's Civic Center.It is known for its collection of American Indian art,and has a comprehensive collection numbering more than 68,000 works from across the world....
- Vietnam Veterans MemorialVietnam Veterans MemorialThe Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a national memorial in Washington, D.C. It honors U.S. service members of the U.S. armed forces who fought in the Vietnam War, service members who died in service in Vietnam/South East Asia, and those service members who were unaccounted for during the War.Its...
, Washington, DC - Parliament Houses in Canberra, Australia
- National Gallery of AustraliaNational Gallery of AustraliaThe National Gallery of Australia is the national art gallery of Australia, holding more than 120,000 works of art. It was established in 1967 by the Australian government as a national public art gallery.- Establishment :...
in Canberra, Australia - Metropolitan Museum of American Art: Henry R. Luce Center for the Study of American Art in New York City