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Sky Light

Although the sky is half of the environment and light is what activates sight, in this era both are taken for granted. The ancients, however, engaged the sky and manipulated its light, from prehistoric Ireland’s Newgrange to Abu Simbel in upper Egypt, on the equinox at Chichén Itza in Yucatán and at winter solstice at Chankillo in Peru. Through monumental, theatrical, and visually powerful experiences, these places connected people with the cosmos and extracted meaning from space and time.

The monumental works of James Turrell also anchor audiences with celestial light, but Turrell’s motivation is different. Astronomer and Griffith Observatory Director Dr. E.C. Krupp has studied ancient, prehistoric, and traditional astronomy for 40 years and has personally examined nearly two thousand ancient sites. In this program he explores parallels with antiquity and engagements with perception in Turrell’s installations, particularly at Roden Crater and Agua de Luz at Cenote Santa María in Merida, Mexico. An exhibition viewing follows the lecture.











When: Wed., Jul. 17, 2013 at 6:30 pm
Where: Guggenheim Museum
1071 Fifth Ave. (at 89th St.)
212-423-3500
Price: $12
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Although the sky is half of the environment and light is what activates sight, in this era both are taken for granted. The ancients, however, engaged the sky and manipulated its light, from prehistoric Ireland’s Newgrange to Abu Simbel in upper Egypt, on the equinox at Chichén Itza in Yucatán and at winter solstice at Chankillo in Peru. Through monumental, theatrical, and visually powerful experiences, these places connected people with the cosmos and extracted meaning from space and time.

The monumental works of James Turrell also anchor audiences with celestial light, but Turrell’s motivation is different. Astronomer and Griffith Observatory Director Dr. E.C. Krupp has studied ancient, prehistoric, and traditional astronomy for 40 years and has personally examined nearly two thousand ancient sites. In this program he explores parallels with antiquity and engagements with perception in Turrell’s installations, particularly at Roden Crater and Agua de Luz at Cenote Santa María in Merida, Mexico. An exhibition viewing follows the lecture.

Buy tickets/get more info now