Light has been present in art for centuries. To think of the Baroque or Gothic without this element would be impossible. However, in the 20th century, artists began to explore light qualities and transformed them into a means of materializing art. Sculptures, immersive installations, and ways of shaping the environment through light, its colors and intensities brought new spatial perceptions by establishing a unique relationship with architecture.
Issues that go beyond aesthetics or space, highlighting political, identity, and memory topics, are addressed by artists through lighting in the environment. In each occupation, actions reveal alternative ways of appropriating space and its potential. When encountering such works, it is possible to be inspired to think about how the incorporation of lighting qualities can influence the image of architecture itself. Thus, we highlight ten artists who, despite different approaches, have light as the main means of creation for their works and reveal, from them, new ways of appropriating and intervening in spaces.
Carlos Cruz-Diez (1923 - 2019, Venezuela)
One of the pioneers to work with lighting, Cruz-Diez became known for his contributions to the Kinetic and Op Art movements. He emphasizes the importance of light in creating color by developing the concept of "chromatic induction." Among the most celebrated works are the Cromosaturations series: immersive installations that consist of rooms filled with colored lights, allowing the viewer to experience color as a physical and sensory phenomenon rather than just visual.
Dan Flavin (1933 - 1996, United States)
Flavin's work is known primarily for fluorescent lamps in installations emphasizing light’s physical and perceptual qualities. His arrangements are often installed in a grid or linear formation, often dialoguing with the architectural context. A work that explores the creation of bright and saturated colors by manipulating space through light and shadow.
Fred Eversley (1941, United States)
Eversley's work is often described as a fusion of sculpture, optics, and science, made of resin fused with other materials, resulting in a smooth surface that refracts light, creating a play of colors and visual effects. Each interaction generates a new image depending on the angle of the light and the viewer's position. Thus, the static nature of the objects is broken. He says he creates "optical instruments" designed to reveal the hidden properties of light and its interaction with different materials.
James Turrel (1943, United States)
James Turrell is one of the most important artists when it comes to working with light as a material. When he uses geometric shapes and carefully calibrated lighting, Turrel creates immersive environments by manipulating light, creating frames and a play of colors that relate to different architectural structures.
Anthony McCall (1946, UK)
Anthony McCall creates immersive installations that blur the boundaries between sculpture, film, and performance. His work involves projected light to create sculptural forms and interactive environments that invite people to interact with it.
Jenny Holzer (1950, United States)
Known for impactful phrases and manipulation of light in her works of art, Jenny Holzer creates large-scale installations that present questions of identity, gender, and political violence. Her work does not always happen in museums; when realized in public spaces, it gains a new sphere by taking the messages to all passers-by and transforming the surroundings. The use of projections or LED strips is a trademark of the artist, who uses such elements to elaborate a specific context where the works are installed.
Kimsooja (1957, South Korea)
By using mirrors and reflective filters, Kimsooja creates a feeling of continuous and earthy space. She transforms the environment from the colors that emerge and highlights the continuity between interior and exterior, suggesting new potential in the room for those who cross it.
Anila Quayyum Agha (1965, Pakistan)
Agha's work often involves geometric patterns, creating visually stunning and conceptually rich installations when addressing themes of identity, culture, and gender. His work Intersections, which is a large cube of laser-cut wooden panels suspended and illuminated from the inside, gains even more strength due to the contrast that the shadow generates and washes over all surfaces. It is an example of how the composition between art and architecture can raise questions about cultural boundaries, which can be both divisive and unifying.
Olafur Eliasson (1967, Denmark)
Light can be used more dynamically and interactively. That is what the Danish artist demonstrates by creating objects and installations on a large scale that encourage the viewer to move and interact with the work. His work often uses light to create optical illusions and distortions. In addition, Eliasson also incorporates architectural elements such as mirrors, lenses, and prisms to reflect and refract light in unexpected ways.
Rafael Lozano-Hemmer (1967, Mexico)
Through technology and light, the Mexican artist creates interactive installations that intensify the relationship between the individual and space. One of his most famous works is Pulse, in which viewers are invited to place their fingers on a sensor, which measures their heartbeat and causes the bulbs to flicker in rhythm with their pulse. This effect allows people to see and feel the physical presence of others in space, creating a sense of shared experience and connection.
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