CHICAGO — On Sunday, Avraham Mor of Morlights stood alongside his wife and children as he cut the ribbon to officially open Illuminate at NeoCon 2026. Speaking to the crowd, Avi reflected on the countless hours, partnerships, and dedication that made the exhibit possible. It was clear the moment meant a great deal to him, and his emotion showed as he celebrated the realization of a long-held vision.
While Sunday traffic was somewhat light, Monday morning brought a noticeable increase in attendance as designers began arriving at THE MART.
Your humble editor caught up with Avi as he welcomed visitors to the exhibit. Although his official title is “consultant,” his passion for the project was evident.
Avi noted that NeoCon attracted approximately 50,000 attendees in 2025, including roughly 30,000 designers.
“This is not a rep show. It is not a lighting show,” Avi said. “It is a design show.”
That distinction helps explain why NeoCon launched Illuminate this year. Rather than focusing on products, the exhibit is designed to educate attendees about how light influences the built environment.
Educational Vignettes
Sean Murphy of Morlights provided a tour of the educational vignettes, which explore topics including color rendering, directionality, grazing versus wall washing, circadian rhythm, black rooms versus white rooms, and the interaction of light with materials and finishes.
“We have amazing manufacturer and design partners involved in the vignettes,” Sean explained. “But the vignettes are really here to educate attendees.”
In the above COLOR vs MATERIAL vignette, sponsored by Lighting Services Inc and designed by Morlights. The material is lit with the same color temperature, but two different CRI’s.
Another interactive vignette allows visitors to experience how lighting direction changes facial modeling. The exhibit photographs participants under different lighting angles. It demonstrate how the placement of light can dramatically alter perception.
The LIGHT FINISHES VS DARK FINISHES vignette, sponsored by AXIS Lighting and designed by AKLD, stood out was the same fixture was used to light black walls and a black ceiling and contrasted to white walls and a white ceiling.
As NeoCon continues this week, Illuminate stands out as a reminder that good lighting is not just about fixtures. It is about understanding how light affects people, spaces, materials, and experience.