The artwork entitled “Wide Out,” created by James Turrell in 1998, is a significant piece within the “Light and Space” movement. As part of Turrell’s “Ganzfelds” series, this installation employs light as a medium to alter spatial perception and engagement, creating an immersive environment that invites contemplation. The artist’s expertise in manipulating the viewers’ sensory experiences is showcased here, reflecting the main tenets of the art movement to which it belongs.
The artwork presents a large, room-sized space suffused with a monochromatic blue light. The boundaries of the room are not immediately distinguishable, creating a disorienting effect that challenges the viewer’s perception. In the center of the back wall, there is a bright, white rectangle that appears to be a light source, but it could also be perceived as a portal, further playing with the viewer’s depth perception. The floor seems to have subtle patterns or textures that may be effects caused by the interplay of light and space. Two individuals are present within the artwork, one seated on the floor at the left and the other standing at the right, close to the illuminated rectangle. Their presence within such an environment emphasizes the scale and the affective capacity of the artwork, as they appear contemplative or absorbed by the encompassing luminosity.
This installation epitomizes Turrell’s work where light itself becomes a sculptural element, shaping and transforming the environment and the viewer’s experience within it.
