I wanted to deal with light directly rather than with paint.
James TurrellRead
Space has a way of looking. It seems like it has a presence of vision. When you come into it, it is there, it’s been waiting for you.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Space is described as having an almost alive presence that engages those who enter it.
In this quote, James Turrell expresses the idea that space is not just a physical environment, but also has a profound and evocative presence that can alter our perception and feelings. The notion that space 'has a way of looking' suggests that it invites us to engage with it actively, creating an experience of anticipation and familiarity, as if it has been waiting for us to inhabit it.
Themes
SpaceArtPresenceVisionPerception
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about how architecture influences mood and feeling, this quote can illustrate the importance of space.
More from James Turrell
All quotes →It is only when light is reduced that the pupil opens and feeling goes out of the eyes like touch.
James TurrellRead
I feel that I want to use light as this wonderful and magic elixir that we drink as Vitamin D through the skin - and I mean, we are literally light-eaters - to then affect the way that we see.
James TurrellRead
In many cases, if we knew what it would take, we might have thought twice about it, so it's often wonderful that we don't have hindsight.
James TurrellRead
There are different stages when you fly. The first stage is the dollhouse effect, seeing everything on Earth like it's a model. Suddenly, all of your concerns seem very small.
James TurrellRead
I'm known as a light artist. But rather than be someone who depicted light, or painted light in some way, I wanted to have the work be light.
James TurrellRead
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