James Turrell

James Turrell has won many awards because of his unique way of displaying his works of art. His pieces include the movements of Contemporary, Minimalism, and Optical Art. When you first see his work, you might not even consider it art. However, once you learn about his intentions, you hopefully will see the beauty and determination hidden behind the plain displays. James Turrell was born on May 6, 1943. He lived in Los Angeles for most of his life and went to Pasadena High School and graduated in 1961. He attended Pomona College and received a B.A. in Psychology in 1965. He went onto the University of California for Art graduate studies. He also attended Irvine and Claremont Graduate School and earned an M.A. in art. Turrell has been …show more content…
It is basically a room with an overhead cut-out to the outside sky, causing the interior to become filled with natural light. This piece does not include pictorial art. When you look up at the Skyspace I, you would just see a “suspended” cube. In reality, it is a combination of two flat panels of “projected light.” There is also a brightly colored rectangle hanging in front of the wall that is actually just an “illuminated depression in the space.” A black square is hanging on the ceiling which is a “portal to the sky.” Turrell uses all of these interesting shapes and light techniques because he likes the way light gives way to perception. This is something that has always fascinated him. It also relates back to old building techniques. He hopes his viewers enter a self-reflexivity state of mind while looking at this piece. He wants them to be able to “see themselves seeing the work of …show more content…
At a young age, Einstein’s curiosity with science led him to study it intently to grasp a better understanding on the complex subject. Einstein continued with his studies throughout the rest of his life and developed the General Theory of Relativity which revolutionized humans understanding of space and time. He received numerous awards, including the Nobel Prize in Physics. Max Planck work can also be related to that of Turrell’s. Planck was also captivated by science and decided to devote himself to studying theoretical physics. He created the quantum theory which explains atomic and subatomic processes and received the Nobel Prize for Physics. He said that the “outside world is something independent from man, something absolute, and the quest for the laws which apply to this absolute appeared...as the most sublime scientific pursuit in life.” This quote is similar to Turrell’s fascination with light and the way it is misunderstood. Einstein and Planck’s work ethic is similar to Turrell’s. Turrell also spent most of his time studying the mysterious subject of science, however he was engrossed in studying light, analyzing the brain, and how humans react to certain images or situations. Turrell, Einstein, and Planck were all very passionate about what they