The disoriented viewer: light, space and perception in James Turrell’s light installations
Keywords:
body, dematerialization, vaporous art, perception, experience, space, installationCopyright (c) 2012 M. Paulo Roselló
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Abstract
James Turrell’s light installations are the result of his accurate technique –based on his knowledge of aeronautical engineering, physics, astronomy, geology and psychology of perception. Their complexity is the result of the artist’s yearning to put forward a new vocabulary of light that modifies the viewer’s relationship to the space. The disoriented viewer deals with the ambiguity generated by the inability to distinguish between their own space and the work. This article intends to reflect on the implication of the turn to environmental art, the emphasis on real space, and the role of the viewer as a participant and a key element of the work.
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References
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