eye opener
Light and Space (Kraftwerk Berlin) Berlin, Germany One of the most prominent figures of the Light and Space movement, Robert Irwin created a new installation at Kraftwerk Berlin at the end of 2021. Commissioned by LAS, the installation is the latest addition to Irwin’s Light and Space series, and was the largest work to be exhibited by the artist in Europe. Over the course of his six-decade career, Irwin has become well known for siteconditioned works that use the effects of light to explore human perception and use of space. An early proponent of sitespecific installations, he creates largescale experiential works, using minimal means that challenge our perceptions and reimagine our environments. For Light and Space (Kraftwerk Berlin), Irwin intertwined the impressive, industrialist architecture of the venue, taking over the entire space from 5 December 2021 to 30 January 2022 to fully immerse visitors in his ongoing experiments with light and space. Irwin is considered a seminal figure of Light and Space, a loosely affiliated art movement originating in southern California in the 1960s as part of the radical cultural scene that was emerging on America’s West Coast over that period, and that is characterised by its interdisciplinary approach, convergence of art and science, and stepping away from object-centric practices. From the 1970s onwards, Irwin favoured a site-specific approach in which he perceived art as closely shaped by the conditions of the surrounding space. He brings this approach to experiential relationships with the built environment to his latest installation. Irwin’s Light and Space series was first conceived in 2007 and commonly features fluorescent light tubes arranged in rhythmic yet undecipherable abstract patterns on white walls with high finishes. Light and Space (Kraftwerk Berlin) used blue fluorescent lights for the first time, in combination with the artist’s traditional white, positioned on a freestanding wall measuring 16x16 metres. In another diversion from Irwin’s usual practice, Light and Space (Kraftwerk Berlin) was double-sided, making use of both sides of the freestanding wall. The installation filled the former power station with light, prompting visitors to interrogate the very notion of perception itself. Bettina Kames, Director of LAS, said of the piece: “Our programme enables artists to realise their most ambitious artworks, so I’m thrilled that Light and Space (Kraftwerk Berlin) was Robert Irwin’s largest project in Europe. 056 / 057
“Radical and forward-thinking, Irwin’s interdisciplinary practice - collaborating with everyone from James Turrell to NASA - chimes with LAS’s commitment to projects that intersect art, technology and science. We are also dedicated to making art accessible to all and Irwin’s experiencebased approach makes his work particularly approachable and transformative.” www.lightartspace.org