Revelation In The Light

The American artist James Turrell considers light as a powerful, primitive substance, in which our existence, physical and psychic, is revealed. Light is connected to life and plants are the creatures that are the most sensitive to this creative power, seemingly imperceptible. The intelligence of plants is fully demonstrated by chlorophyll photosynthesis, the magic of chemistry capable of turning carbon dioxide into nourishment, releasing oxygen, a welcome waste product.

The leaves of plants can pick up an immense amount of solar energy, more than any human invention is able to. However, one must look for a balance in the light. Its excessive intensity or duration damages our sight, our skin, the rhythms of our sleep. It is the same for plants: it can dry them until they wither. In situations of light deficiency, however, the stems weaken, the shoots become thinner, the leaves shrink and turn yellow. Knowing how to find the right light is an art.

And even the shade can be a gift, shelter for stems and gazes. Things that are illuminated reveal themselves and in turn reveal what surrounds them. Light is in fact an electromagnetic wave that relates to the matter and interacts with it. It can be absorbed, reflected, disseminated. And it is through these mechanisms that things show themselves to our eyes, reacting to their encounter with light.