Ouh yeah! Thats quite a lot of interesting stuff here!
CrossRoads:
I am from europe - and we got a new law that prohibits the use of conventional bulbs in home use. The project will be some kind of game, where lightbulbs are used as "pixels". The aim of this work is to seize the prohibition of the lightbulb, and should be a hommage to it. So, i'd totally agree that nobody 'd notice that there are no real lightbulbs used - but it would feel somehow like cheating. The more conventional the used bulbs are, the more the original idea of the work is hit. In my opinion 230V - 60W - glow wire is "conventional".
You already pushed me in an interesting direction with SSR's. I researched some distributors and the price is below the one of normal relays...perhaps this is really the way to go.
I am wondering that nobody buildt someting like that....
Thanks for your input!!!