Los Angeles County Museum of Art © James Turrell. Photo: Florian Holzherr. Courtesy of Gagosian, shared with permission
Gagosian Le Bourget presents largest exhibition by James Turrell in Europe in over 25 years
Gagosian Le Bourget is currently hosting the largest European exhibition by James Turrell in over 25 years, which opened on October 14, 2024. This highly anticipated showcase features more than 35 of Turrell’s works, including large-scale installations, in-wall lightworks, projections, models, photographs, prints, and rare archival materials. The exhibition invites visitors to experience Turrell’s groundbreaking exploration of light as a medium, offering a sensory journey that challenges traditional perceptions of light and space.
James Turrell, a visionary in the field of perceptual art, continues his investigation into the “thingness” of light, a concept he has been exploring since the 1960s. His approach to light as both subject and material comes to life in this exhibition, where the works do not simply illuminate but rather serve as revelations in themselves. As Turrell has expressed, “Light does not so much reveal, as it is the revelation itself.”
At the heart of the exhibition are two major new installations. All Clear, a Ganzfeld piece, immerses visitors in a space filled with shifting colored light, creating a disorienting experience by removing visual markers like corners and edges. This effect, known as the Ganzfeld Effect, mimics environments where visual references are lost, such as outer space or whiteout conditions. Meanwhile, Either Or, part of Turrell’s Wedgework series, uses projected light and reflective surfaces to expand the perception of the gallery’s interior architecture, making the light itself feel physically present.
In addition to these immersive works, the exhibition includes six in-wall Glassworks, holograms, prints, and materials related to Turrell’s Roden Crater project. This monumental work, set within a volcanic cinder cone in Northern Arizona’s Painted Desert, functions as a naked-eye observatory for the contemplation of light and the sky. Models, blueprints, and archival items from Roden Crater dating from 1982 to 2024 offer a deeper insight into this long-term endeavor.
This exhibition at Gagosian Le Bourget is a must-see for art enthusiasts and those interested in the interplay of light, space, and perception. Turrell’s work transforms the way we engage with our environment, creating spaces where light becomes a tangible, almost sculptural force that reshapes our understanding of space and vision. For those seeking a transformative experience in contemporary art, this exhibition offers an unparalleled opportunity to engage with Turrell’s luminous world.
