James Turrell Comes Full Circle in Upcoming Seoul Show

Summary

• Acclaimed light artist James Turrell will open The Return at Pace Gallery in Seoul, on view from June 14 through September 27.
• The exhibition will feature recent and never-before-seen light installations alongside a collection of photographs and works on paper.

A new James Turrell exhibition is set to hit Pace Gallery in Seoul next month, marking the artist’s first return to the Korean capital in 17 years. Titled The Return, the show features five recent installations — including a never-before-seen Wedgework piece — by the Light and Space luminary, transforming the tea house and all three floors of the galleries into dreamlike illusions.

Like others in the series, Turrell’s latest Wedgework presents a choreographed play of color, shadow and light. Light takes on a “thingness” in a low lit room, as soft gradients create the illusion of depth and space. The piece grounds itself in the sensorial, challenging conventions of materiality through a deceptive “nature of reality as mediated by light.”

Also on display are two large curved glass pieces, along with circular and diamond-shaped installations from the artist’s ongoing Glasswork series. These works create the sensation of endless depth through shifting planes of light, drawing viewers into seemingly infinite luminous spaces. Complementing the light-based works are photographs and works on paper that offer rare insight into the creative process behind Turrell’s infamous Roden Crater project.

On view from June 14 through September 27, The Return takes part in Pace’s 65th anniversary year programming. To celebrate the gallery is mounting exhibitions around the world from an impressive roster of artists they’ve shown throughout the years. For more information on the show or additional anniversary events, head to the gallery’s website.

Pace Seoul
267 Itaewon-ro,
Yongsan District,
Seoul, South Korea