I had the great pleasure of attending an artist lecture by James Turell this weekend. On the occassion of an exhibition and Skyspace dedication at Pomona College in Claremont. I HIGHLY recommend seeing the exhibition if you have the chance!
In case you are unfamiliar with James Turrell...
He is known as a light and space artist. The kind of artist that does crazy things often eliciting stunned responses akin to "How is this art?!" One major example of his excentric approach to art making is his use of MacArthur Fellowship funding (aka - "The Genius Grant") to purchase Roden Crater, an extinct volcano crater in the Arizona desert that he has been transorming into a site specific artwork since 1972 (it is nearing completion, but not done yet).
While I concede that this seems absurd on the surface...
I am here to say that his is some of the most beautiful and spiritual work that I have ever encountered! His works place you at the limits of human perception, and standing at the edge you cannot help but ponder the transcendent. In fact, as a practicing Quaker, one of his Skyspace installations was constructed in a Quaker meeting house!
Furthermore...
He is one of the most generous and articulate artists I have had the pleasure of meeting! He speaks very clearly about the themes in his work, and he is an incredible encouragement to other artists with a very high regard for the chosen vocation of the artist.
Here are a few gems from his discussion...
Regarding the illusionistic nature of much of his work:
I am "plumbing" (as in "exploring") the visual world that we inhabit... The illusion actually makes you aware of what really is happening. (this one is not a direct quote, but as close as I could recall it)
Regarding the spiritual in his work:
"Religious experience is often spoken of in terms of light... I celebrate this plane (this earthly plane), lowly as it may be... I work with the senses, though it may remind us of other states... That is what art does; it celebrates what is, and what can be."
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One other funny comment...
He was actually sued by someone who fell into one of his pieces, not realizing it was an empty space and not a solid. He said the testimony went something like this... "There was a wall... a receeding wall... I leaned against it... and suddenly it wasn't there!"
Sadly, they won with that arguement! But he was later able to appeal the decision, and he won the appeal.
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