In 1966, James Turrell began experimenting with light at Santa Monica's Mendota Hotel, which he used as his visual laboratory. Turrell covered the windows, leaving slits that allowed prescribed amounts of light from the street outside to shine through the openings. After these experiments Turrell expanded his work, using halogen projectors to beam light across darkened rooms. From a distance the projected shapes appeared solid, but as viewers moved closer the numinous forms vanished revealing nothing more than light cast against flat walls.
Two of these Cross-‐Corner Projections, Carn White (1967) and Phantom Blue (1968), will be included in James Turrell: Present Tense. which opens tomorrow - Thursday, September 15, 2011 at the Kayne Griffin Corcoran Gallery in Santa Monica.
James Turrell: Present Tense is part of Pacific Standard Time, which documents the Los Angeles art scene from 1945-1980. Pacific Standard Time is an unprecedented collaboration of more than sixty cultural institutions across Southern California. Initiated through grants from the Getty Foundation, Pacific Standard Time will take place for six months until April 2011.
More at:
Pacific Standard Time Website
Kayne Griffin Corcoran Gallery
