10. James Turrell’s Plain Dress (2005)
Many large corporate headquarters feature displays of public art in their lobbies, and KPF Architects at 505 Fifth Avenue is no exception. Rather than an eye-catching painting or sculpture, however, the artwork is integrated into the lobby itself. Fans of James Turrell’s immersive light installations will enjoy the chance to experience Plain Dress (2005), a site-specific piece that visitors experience by walking through on their way to the elevator. The collaboration was inspired by a comment from one of the architects, who said that the lighting in the building’s half-finished lobby reminded him of a Turrell exhibition.
Turrell is renowned for his glowing exhibitions that play on light and space and often encompass entire buildings or rooms. He transformed the lobby into a forced-perspective lightbox that changes color 24 hours a day, with LEDs throwing pink and blue light onto the white plaster walls. The colors shift frequency and mood depending on the time of day, reflecting the bustling chaos of Fifth Avenue outside. The three-dimensional light sculpture transforms itself over the course of the day, making multiple visits worthwhile.
Next, check out the best public art installations to see in October 2020!