GRAPHĒ: Take a First Look Inside James Turrell’s Awe-Inspiring New Exhibition

An exploration of light, color, and space awaits visitors at James Turrell’s first survey exhibition in Mexico.

After over two years of preparation, Museo Jumex has officially debuted Passages of Light, a survey exhibition by American artist James Turrell. Turrell orchestrates light, space, and color on a monumental scale, and the exhibition unfolds over two floors of the museum’s galleries. The retrospective spans half a century, following the artist’s career from the late 1960s to the present day.

Apani (2011) from the Ganzfeld series. The magic of Turrell’s works hinge on mathematical precision and computer-programmed lights in a carefully controlled environment. — *Apani* (2011) from the *Ganzfeld* series. The magic of Turrell’s works hinge on mathematical precision and computer-programmed lights in a carefully controlled environment.

© James Turrell, Photo: Florian Holzherr

Turrell gives light a physical presence with projected fields of saturated color that redefine the immaterial. Designed to eliminate the viewer’s depth perception, the installations can appear as floating geometric objects or immersive spaces that dissolve physical boundaries. Turrell’s exploration into the materiality of light often draws the audience into contemplative thought.

Squat Blue (1968), from the Projection Pieces series, is the earliest Turrell work exhibited at Passages of Light and is part of la Colección Jumex. — *Squat Blue* (1968), from the *Projection Pieces* series, is the earliest Turrell work exhibited at *Passages of Light* and is part of la Colección Jumex.

© James Turrell, Photo: Florian Holzherr

"My work is more about your seeing than it is about my seeing, although it is a product of my seeing," says Turrell. "I’m also interested in the sense of presence of space; that is, space where you feel a presence, almost an entity—that physical feeling and power that space can give."

Passages of Light welcomes visitors with Amesha Spentas, a site-specific piece from James Turrell’s Ganzfeld series that immerses viewers in a saturated field of color. Each body of work in the exhibition is paired with a quotation to better illuminate the artist’s influences.