james turrell at the guggenheim new york

james turrell
guggenheim museum, new york
june 21 – september 25th, 2013

conceived for the guggenheim museum, new york, james turrell’s ‘aten reign’ (2013) recasts the rotunda of the frank lloyd wright-designed building into an enormous illuminated void of shifting artificial and natural luminescence. in this, his first solo exhibition in new york since 1980, the artist continues his in depth exploration of the perception of light, color and space, re-imagining the central volume of the cultural institution as an immersive light-filled space, with strong references to his ongoing ‘roden crater project’ (1979- ). opening on the summer solstice, turrell dramatically transforms the museum, offering a dynamic perceptual experience through the modulation of color emitted through the round chamber.

james turrell | aten reign, 2013 | daylight and LED light | dimensions variable © james turrell
installation view of james turrell, solomon r. guggenheim museum, new york, june 21–september 25, 2013
photo by david heald © solomon r. guggenheim foundation, new york (also main image)

james turrell | aten reign, 2013 | daylight and LED light | dimensions variable © james turrell
installation view of james turrell, solomon r. guggenheim museum, new york, june 21–september 25, 2013
photo by david heald © solomon r. guggenheim foundation, new york

james turrell | aten reign, 2013 | daylight and LED light | dimensions variable © james turrell
installation view of james turrell, solomon r. guggenheim museum, new york, june 21–september 25, 2013
photo by david heald © solomon r. guggenheim foundation, new york

james turrell | aten reign, 2013 | daylight and LED light | dimensions variable © james turrell
installation view of james turrell, solomon r. guggenheim museum, new york, june 21–september 25, 2013
photo by david heald © solomon r. guggenheim foundation, new york

james turrell | rendering for aten reign, 2013 | daylight and LED light
site-specific installation, solomon r. guggenheim museum, new york © james turrell
rendering by andreas tjeldflaat, 2012 © solomon r. guggenheim foundation

james turrell | rendering for aten reign, 2013 | daylight and LED light
site-specific installation, solomon r. guggenheim museum, new york © james turrell
rendering by andreas tjeldflaat, 2012 © solomon r. guggenheim foundation

james turrell | rendering for aten reign, 2013 | daylight and LED light
site-specific installation, solomon r. guggenheim museum, new york © james turrell
rendering by andreas tjeldflaat, 2012 © solomon r. guggenheim foundation

james turrell | rendering for aten reign, 2013 | daylight and LED light
site-specific installation, solomon r. guggenheim museum, new york © james turrell
rendering by andreas tjeldflaat, 2012 © solomon r. guggenheim foundation

james turrell | rendering for aten reign, 2013 | daylight and LED light
site-specific installation, solomon r. guggenheim museum, new york © james turrell
rendering by andreas tjeldflaat, 2012 © solomon r. guggenheim foundation

james turrell | rendering for aten reign, 2013 | daylight and LED light
site-specific installation, solomon r. guggenheim museum, new york © james turrell
rendering by andreas tjeldflaat, 2012 © solomon r. guggenheim foundation

on the museum’s annex level galleries, a display of the artist’s previous works from his career are being displayed. the exhibition is organized in conjunction with the los angeles county museum of art (see designboom’s coverage of the exhibition here), and the museum of fine arts, houston, with the guggenheim exposition comprising one of three major turrell exhibitions scheduled for the summer of 2013 throughout the united states. the show has been curated by carmen giménez, stephen and nan swid curator of twentieth-century art, and nat trotman, associate curator, solomon r. guggenheim museum.

1/4