www.privateairny.com Private Air | Summer 2023
90
Color & Light: James Turrell
For over half a century, the
American artist James Turrell
has worked directly with light
and space to create artworks that
engage viewers with the limits
and wonder of human perception.
New Yorker critic Calvin
Tompkins writes, "His work is not
about light or a record of light; it
is light — the physical presence
of light made manifest in sensory
form."
Trained in perceptual psychology,
he references from Parable of
Plato's Cave to suggest that we
construct our own reality based on
sensory limitations and cultural
norms. His work shows how we
internally create the colors we see
and shape our perceived reality.
is triptych was commissioned
for a collector's family home
living area, offering a playful
edge and a pop of color. e
sleek, neutral interior design
scheme was intentionally pared
back, and so the collector wanted
art that would immediately catch
the eye.
e triptych would explore
three complementary color
ways, creating a sense of depth
through tonal variety and subtle
patterns. e complex geometry,
resembling an unfurling flower
or a radiating spiral, was inspired
by traditional Arabic geometric
designs. is element helps
connect to the context of the
project, bringing a local angle.
A Colourful Residence Project in Amman, Jordan
THE COLLECTION
