Oct. 12, 2016 By Hannah Wulkan
Visitors to MoMA PS1 will be able to see the sky once again.
After a three-year renovation, James Turrell’s permanent installation Meeting, which allows visitors to see the sky through a hole in the ceiling, reopened on Saturday.
The piece was commissioned as one of the museum’s inaugural exhibits, first opening in 1980, and not fully complete until 1986. It was Turrell’s second Skyspace ever, using light and space as the mediums for his art, and he has now done over 80 similar works throughout the world.
“Meeting opened the museum to the city. In cutting a hole through the roof, Turrell used the building to reframe a familiar subject—the sky over our heads—creating a serene space in which we can contemplate our relationship to the world,” said Peter Eleey, Curator and Associate Director of Exhibitions and Programs, MoMA PS1.
The renovation to the exhibit included both repairs and upgrades, including repairs to weather degradation and alterations to the roof covering, which closes the exhibit during bad weather and when the museum is not open. The museum also installed a new seating apparatus made out of teakwood and designed by Turrell.
The upgrade also included a new computerized LED lighting system, allowing a much more controlled light experience. Along with the new system, Turrell designed a new lighting program to go along with sunrise and sunset, taking guests through the full color spectrum.
“One of Turrell’s first Skyspaces, Meeting is an urban site, a destination for the public, and an inspiring point of departure for generations of artists,” said Klaus Biesenbach, Director, MoMA PS1 and Chief Curator at Large of The Museum of Modern Art. “We are pleased to bring this important work back on view in a new, 21st century iteration that adds a dynamic lighting program, allowing the artist to realize more dramatic effects against the sky’s atmospheric light.”
To celebrate the reopening of the exhibit, the museum is hosting after hours viewings of the 45-minute sunset program until November 5th, consisting of a light show surrounding the opening in the ceiling. After that, the sunset program will run within regular museum hours until the spring, and is included with general admission to the museum.
For more information on the exhibit visit http://momaps1.org/exhibitions/view/170
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Finally! Go here! Walk straight past all the other crap in PS1 and go here. It’s a deeply amazing place to sit.