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James Turrell Art

American, b. 1943

Emerging in the mid-1960s with the Southern California Light and Space movement, James Turrell (b. 1943) has devoted his career to artwork that challenges the limits of human perception. From his early experiments with geometric projections that transfigured space with light to the colossal decades-long undertaking of transforming an extinct volcano in northern Arizona into the immersive Roden Crater, he has strived to “create an experience of wordless thought” through his art.

An avid pilot as well as an artist, the Los Angeles native has long considered the sky to be his studio. Before creating his first light sculptures as a graduate student at the University of California at Irvine, he studied perceptual psychology and math at Pomona College. His practice has been an ongoing investigation of new techniques that would envelop viewers in light and color, whether through his research of optical phenomena related to sensory deprivation or his construction of complex architectural spaces that allow visitors to meditate on the materiality of light.

Most encounters with Turrell’s art are site-specific, such as his series of Skyspaces, which includes more than 80 chambers around the globe with apertures open to the sky. The shifts of daylight from sunrise to sunset make every moment in a Skyspace unique. To build his frequently monumental visions of space, light and color, he has also worked in far-flung corners of the planet, from the 1996 Celestial Vault — situated in an artificial crater in the Netherlands, where visitors can contemplate the contour where Earth meets sky — to the nine installations in the James Turrell Museum nestled in a remote vineyard in Argentina. Whether installations, prints, drawings, models or holograms, all of Turrell’s art has engaged with the wonder of light and how it shapes our observation of the world. 

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Artist: James Turrell
Corrected RC Site Plan, 1988/92
By James Turrell
Located in Houston, TX
James Turrell Corrected RC Site Plan, 1988/92 Ink on printed paper 35 x 45
Category

20th Century Contemporary James Turrell Art

Materials

Felt Pen, Black and White

"Site Plan with Projected Section and Survey Net" mylar drawing Roden Crater
By James Turrell
Located in Phoenix, AZ
James Turrell Site Plan with Projected Section and Survey Net, 1992 mylar, beeswax, emulsion, ink, liquitex, wax pastel 41.5" x 60.5" framed Unique Since the 1960s, James Turrell has experimented with visual perception and the materiality of light. Early in his career, he was associated with the Light and Space movement in Southern California and participated in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s landmark 1967-1971 project Art and Technology, which paired artists with emerging industries and technologies of the period. Interested in sensory deprivation and the Ganzfeld effect, his light defined shapes, skyspaces framing the sky, and built environments of horizon-less saturated color provoke a reflexive state that the artist has described as “seeing yourself seeing” – a state in which the viewer is aware of the functioning of their senses and recognizes light as a tangible substance. Since 1979, Turrell has been constructing his magnum opus at the Roden Crater...
Category

1990s Contemporary James Turrell Art

Materials

Mylar, Pastel, Emulsion, Ink, Wax

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James Turrell art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic James Turrell art available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by James Turrell in crayon, emulsion, felt pen and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 20th century and is mostly associated with the contemporary style. Not every interior allows for large James Turrell art, so small editions measuring 45 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Dan Muller, Grace Graupe-Pillard, and Tim Rollins and K.O.S.. James Turrell art prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $25,000 and tops out at $32,000, while the average work can sell for $28,500.
Questions About James Turrell Art
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    A James Turrell piece is an artwork created by the American installation artist James Turrell. His most famous pieces involve reflecting light in certain ways to produce geometric shapes and other effects. Find a selection of James Turrell art on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    American artist James Turrell is best known for his installation art and his work within the Light and Space movement. His experiential installations can be found in museums around the United States, but his greatest work of art is the yet-unfinished Roden Crater. This will be an entire space dedicated to his work with light and space. On 1stDibs, find a variety of original artwork from top artists.

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