James Turrell Essay

James Turrell was born in Pasadena, California in 1943. He became a pilot when he was 16. Turrell flew supplies to mine sites and also worked as an aerial cartographer for a period of time. He graduated from Pomona College with a BA in perceptual psychology. While there, he also studied math, geology, and astronomy. Turrell then attended graduate studio art program at the University of California, Irvine, but received his MA in art from Claremont Graduate University. James Turrell first became known in the 1980’s and is still popular and admired in art culture. In recent years, he’s become even more highly regarded. Mostly because of his installations in the Guggenheim Museum and the piece titled Roden Crater that’s currently in progress. During

Other artists in this movement were Robert Irwin, Mary Corse, Bruce Nauman, and Doug Wheeler. The movement pretty much died out when the Pop Art era came around. Though he was, and is still, admired, there isn’t evidence that he influenced any other artists. However, he did work with Sam Francis, a fellow artist, to make sky drawings. Again, there’s no evidence that a specific person influenced Turrell’s work. Though, he has stated in many interviews that his Quaker faith gives him a “straightforward, strict presentation of the sublime,” which inspires the purpose of his work. The experiences as a pilot, and his studies of psychology in college are also two very big inspirations for him. Turrell is just starting to come out of the prime of his career, at 72 years old. He was extremely successful. There are works (permanent and temporary) of his all over the world, from Las Vegas, to England, Berlin, Switzerland, The Netherlands, and the Guggenheim Museum. He is considered the leader of the Light and Space movement, which you could say is still thriving because of