As long as I have known of him, James Turrell has been on of my all-time favorite artists. Turrell is a visionary contemporary artist whose work blurs the boundaries between art, light, and space, and is renowned for his mastery of light as a medium, creating immersive and transformative installations that explore perception and the nature of human experience. His iconic Skyspaces invite viewers to contemplate the ever-changing interplay of light, color, and the celestial heavens. Turrell’s art challenges our understanding of reality and the limits of human perception, taking viewers on a mesmerizing journey through the ethereal beauty of light and space, encouraging a deep connection with the universe and the mysteries it holds. His pioneering contributions to the Light and Space art movement have left an indelible mark on the art world, solidifying his status as a luminary in the realm of contemporary art. I have never entered another immersive art space and felt the way I feel when I am in one of Turrell’s Skyspaces, so I hunt them down wherever I can. Luckily many of his pieces are located in the southwest where I spend a lot of time. On my most recent trip to Phoenix I got to spend time in two of his spaces located there; One that is meant to be experienced at night, and one best experienced during the day; garnering a real yin and yang of immersive art experiences. I met up with local photographer Ashley Betkouchar to capture Turrel’s magic!
Photos: Ashley Betkouchar
James Turrell, Air Apparent
James Turrell’s Air Apparent on the Arizona State University campus is a captivating architectural installation that offers a unique celestial experience. This immersive art experience is a wondrous structure that frames the sky, using LED lights to “optimize color perception at sunrise and sunset, allowing visitors to gaze at the ever-changing desert sky and providing a meditative connection with the heavens.
James Turrell, Knight Rise
Best known among Turrell’s completed artworks are his Skyspaces. One of these enigmatic enclosures, Knight Rise, is located in the Museum’s outdoor Nancy and Art Schwalm Sculpture Courtyard. Encircled internally with a concrete bench, Knight Rise invites visitors to observe the sky through an elliptical opening in the ceiling. The sharp edges of that opening create the illusion that the sky, rather than hovering above, is descending upon the space. Simultaneously, lights embedded in the walls just above the bench subtly shift one’s perception of the sky’s color. This effect is most dramatic at sunrise and sunset, when the framed sky appears as a tangible, solid substance of pure color. Created in concert with the opening of the Museum in 1999, Knight Rise is part of the collection of Scottsdale Public Art and accessible to visitors free of charge during all open Museum hours.
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