The James Turrell exhibition at the Guggenheim Museum opened on June 21 and ends September 25th.  The show plays with the concepts of space and light through elaborate installations and photos. The Turrell experience begins with a 20-minute line to enter the museum and then continues with over-priced tickets. When finally able to enter the sphere, you realize that the Guggenheim has been transformed into Turrell’s installation Atein Reign.

Five huge rings descend up the ceiling illuminating light that varies from different shades of blue, red and orange. To get the full effect, people lie down on the floor and look into the changing colors in silence. There is a satisfying release and spiritual experience when looking into the installation. However, once you leave and take the elevator up to the top floor only to realize that practically the rest of the museum is empty, the experience becomes less satisfying. Once again a line, this time 45 minutes long awaits. As one patiently stands in line surrounded not by art, but endless white walls, you have to hope that what your waiting for is well worth it. As the line comes to an end you are welcomed by a short passage describing the artist and his installation. The quote, “My art deals with light itself. It’s not the bearer of the revelation, it is the revelation.” gives one the sense of how egotistical and grandiose Turrell and his art are.

Once the line has come to an end, you walk into a room that is almost completely dark except for two long lights in the far corners of the room. These dim lights show you a canvas loyally protected by a guard. The canvas is hard to decipher due to the fact that the room is dark and you cannot get very close. After about a minute of coming to terms with the shockingly unsuccessful artwork you exit. That is the whole of your experience, the payoff for your time and patience. There may be some artistic value to that room, but if there is I couldn’t see it, literally. There are a few more light attractions scattered around the Guggenheim that are similarly pretentious and by the end of the Turrell light and space revelation I left laughing at the absurdity of the exhibition.

 

Image source www.designboom.com