Cosmic Observatories

James Turrell showcases upcoming installation in AlUla

Renowned Light and Space artist James Turrell has unveiled plans for a groundbreaking land art installation in Saudi Arabia's AlUla desert. This project is part of the Wadi AlFann initiative—meaning "Valley of the Arts"—which seeks to transform the desert into a vast open-air museum. Set for completion within the next four years, the AlUla installation will serve as a permanent showcase of Turrell’s most significant works.

The design features a network of subterranean spaces, including Turrell’s iconic Skyspaces—circular chambers with open ceilings that function as "cosmic observatories." Visitors will journey through expansive pathways, tunnels, chambers, and staircases carved into the canyon floor, immersing themselves in a sensory interplay of light and shadow. The experience culminates in the Sun/Moon Chamber, a space that connects earth and sky through what Turrell describes as a "lensless telescope."

Above ground, the installation extends into a planetary diagram etched into the desert floor, surrounded by towering sandstone formations and crowned with an obelisk that tracks the movement of the sun like a sundial. This ambitious endeavor builds upon Turrell’s five-decade-long exploration of light, notably his ongoing transformation of Roden Crater, an extinct volcano in Arizona.

An exhibition titled "Wadi AlFann presents James Turrell" is currently on view at AlJadidah Arts District until April 19 2025. The exhibition shares a preview of the new installation and also includes works from the Royal Commission for AlUla collection which showcase the artist’s mastery of light as a medium.

 

Source: AlUla

Images: James Turrell, courtesy of the Royal Commission for AlUla