Light and Space

Reading Response

> Jack Burnham’s chapter on Light as Sculpture Medium from Beyond Modern Sculpture (1969)

> Robin Clark’s introduction to the exhibition Phenomenal: California Light, Space, Surface (2011)

> Dawna Schuld’s accompanying essay Practically Nothing: Light, Space, and the pragmatics of Phenomenology (2011)

How the artistic lineages in the first two readings are interconnected?

Historical Background

Both of the articles establish their arguments based on many similar examples. Both Burnham and Clark acknowledge the importance of the Bauhaus, especially the work of László Moholy-Nagy, as foundational for light-based art. They also reference the same major figures in light art, including Dan Flavin, who embraced commercial, industrial materials to create minimalist, site-responsive environments, and James Turrell and Robert Irwin, who are recognized as the culmination of light art’s evolution toward phenomenological engagement.

Adding on to the similar recognition of historical signature work, they do interpret the significance of light art through different frameworks: Burnham through systems theory and technological innovation, and Clark through phenomenology and experiential perception. Together, they offer a comprehensive view of how light evolved from an experimental medium to a fully immersive and transformative art form.

Emphasis on Perception and Phenomenology

A very obvious point I noticed from the two articles is that they both heavily emphasize the relationship between light, environment, and perception.

Burnham sees light art as part of a broader technological and systemic evolution in art. He focuses on how light creates feedback loops between the art, the environment, and the viewer — forming a perceptual system. This aligns with his interest in cybernetics and the idea of art as a dynamic, interactive process rather than a static object. For Burnham, light is a tool for creating systems that respond to and change based on the viewer’s presence and movement.

Clark takes a more philosophical and experiential approach, drawing on phenomenology’s focus on embodied perception. For Clark, the importance of light art lies in its ability to heighten our awareness of space, time, and our own presence within an environment. The Light and Space artists he discusses create environments where light alters our sense of depth, scale, and orientation — leading to a direct, physical engagement with the artwork.

How the phenomenology of light and space, as discussed in the third reading, is prevalent throughout the exploration of light as a medium by the various artists that are discussed?

There are many unique qualities light possesses as a medium that leads to its success and popularity.

"The ability to consciously hold perception in flux is also a characteristic of many of Turrell's projection pieces." - Schuld

Artists like James Turrell use light not just to illuminate but as a substance in itself — shaping space and creating environments where light becomes a tangible, felt presence. Turrell’s Ganzfeld works immerse viewers in fields of color and light, eliminating depth perception and creating disorienting but meditative spaces. Schuld thinks the art engages the body’s sensory systems directly, altering spatial awareness and dissolving the boundary between viewer and environment.

"Wheeler's concern with the architectural details of the space speaks to another important aspect of phenomenal art: its otherness, its role as a space apart that in turn also serves to isolate the experience in time." - Schuld

Doug Wheeler’s environments push the phenomenological exploration of space even further by creating void-like installations where walls, floors, and ceilings seem to disappear into gradients of light. These works generate a sense of infinite space, highlighting how light sculpts perception without physical form. This speaks to the pragmatics of phenomenology, as discussed by Schuld — the idea that perception isn’t just about vision but about how the whole body orients itself in space.

"Doug Wheeler's mature work also enacts a disappearance of the art object." - Clark

Many Light and Space artists, influenced by phenomenology, eliminate the traditional art object entirely — turning the environment and the viewer’s perception into the primary medium. This reflects the influence of earlier discussions of light as a sculptural medium (like those in Jack Burnham’s Beyond Modern Sculpture), where the physical art object becomes secondary to the experience of light and space as a unified system.

Artist Research

Lux I (1957) — Nicolas Schöffer

Nicolas Schöffer, Lux 1, 1957, Sculpture, Aluminium, résine synthétique, 107 x 90 x 95 cm

In Lux I, Schöffer uses rotating metal and glass elements combined with programmed light projections. The moving parts allow shifting shadows and reflections across surrounding surfaces, essentially turning the entire environment into part of the artwork. This aligns closely with Burnham’s systems-art perspective: the light, object, and space form an interactive system where the boundaries between them dissolve. The artwork isn’t confined to its physical components — the light and its effects become just as crucial.

Schöffer often spoke about the idea of "spatiodynamism" — the notion that light could reshape and redefine space in real-time. In Lux I, light is more than just an illuminating force; it becomes an architectural element. The reflections and refractions sculpt the air around the object, making the environment itself a malleable, ever-changing extension of the work. This echoes Burnham’s view of light art as a perceptual system and Clark’s emphasis on transforming the environment into an immersive experience.

PsAD Synthetic Desert ll, 1971 - Doug Wheeler

So far, Doug Wheeler's my favourite just from the first impression.

Doug Wheeler’s PSAD Synthetic Desert III (1971/2019) is a phenomenal work that pushes the exploration of light and space into a new, almost otherworldly dimension. Installed at the Guggenheim in 2019, this piece isn’t just about visual perception — it’s about creating an environment where light, sound, and space blend into an immersive, sensory-altering experience.

Instead of treating space as a fixed, architectural entity, Wheeler uses light and silence to turn space into an emotional and psychological state. The feeling of vastness and stillness, combined with the lack of auditory feedback, produces sensations of isolation, introspection, and even awe. The space becomes an extension of the viewer’s inner experience, shaped by their own emotional and sensory responses.