Robert Irwin - James Turrel

Robert Irwin and James Turrell, both originally from Los Angeles, are among the most recognised artists to have emerged in the 1960s. Irwin has worked in a variety of media, while Turrell's work is characterized by his engagement with pure light. One of the first champions of Irwin and Turrell's work was Giuseppe Panza, who commissioned installations for his 19th century mansion in Northern Italy, now an art museum. Those installations are the focus of this book, the first to pair these two important artists. Opening with essays on Panza and his relationship to the two artists as well as detailed accounts of Irwin and Turrell's long careers, this volume examines both the original 1973 installations in the villa and recent works made specifically for the building's architecture. Irwin's new installation moves from inside to outside through a row of vertical openings and a series of semi-transparent planes, and Turrell's large Ganzfeld immerses viewers in radiant coloured light. Through numerous illustrations and informative text, the book shows how both artists have extended and refined their earlier practices using the latest technology. Published in association with Villa Panza, Varese, Italy and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.