(Video link here.) After we saw artist James Turrell‘s wondrous installation of light at the Guggenheim Museum, we looked hard to find a video that could give some semblance of what it’s like. Turrell completely transformed Frank Lloyd Wright’s spiralling rotunda into something completely other. We recommend watching this succinct two minutes full screen: what you see is a bit of the effect of looking straight up into the rotunda, only in reality, it is constantly changing color and shape (and after a while, when you close your eyes, you see a whole other color than what is above you). Says Turell:

I’m interested to, in some way, remind us that we do have this other seeing.

So caught up were we in ‘other seeing’ that we found it hard to remember or envision the museum’s original framework, which became his palette…

misterjamin via flickr
misterjamin via flickr

That work, and the handfull of other Turrells we saw that day DID change the way we view light in space; many were unexpectedly moving. Scroll down this page of his work for a taste of possibilities. The barbarian in us also sees, in these deeply compelling works, ideas applicable to lighting…a personal space.

'jacob's rain', james turrell
‘jacob’s rain’, james turrell

catso (white) by james turrell
catso (white) by james turrell

See them in person whenever you get the chance.

Related posts: yayoi kusama’s art-medicine
nihalani’s geometric tape illusions: home decor idea?
ernst caramelle’s fab painted walls
yoko ono’s wish tree

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