MOMA PS1: JAMES TURRELL "MEETING"

    When I visited James Turrell’s Meeting at MoMA PS1, I was surprised by how such a minimal installation could feel so immersive. The work is simply a quiet room with benches surrounding a square opening in the ceiling that frames the sky above. At first, it seemed almost too simple, but after sitting in the space for several minutes, I began to notice how differently I was perceiving the light and atmosphere. The sky slowly started to look flat and artificial, almost like a monochrome painting suspended above the room rather than an actual opening to the outdoors. Instead of focusing on an object, I became aware of my own perception and the act of looking itself.

    What affected me most was the slowness of the experience. Unlike many exhibitions where I quickly move from one artwork to another, Meeting forced me to slow down and remain still. As the daylight shifted, subtle changes in color and brightness transformed the mood of the entire room. The installation felt calm and meditative, almost detached from the energy and noise of the city outside.

    I also found it interesting that the piece contains so little physically, yet still feels emotionally powerful. Turrell uses light and space in such a controlled way that the work becomes less about viewing something and more about becoming aware of time, space, and my own presence within it.

-iAN CHEN