Kristen Applebee

James Turrell's "Air Apparent" was a must-see on my recent trip to Tempe, Arizona to visit my brother. I love how Turrell creates experiences for the viewer, encourage us to slow down and heighten our awareness. The clouds are moving over our head all the time. The color of the sky is shifting in value and intensity. We could stop and watch and notice, but we're too busy. We can go all day without pausing to just watch and think about the sky. 

With Turrell's work, it's always more about what's going on behind the eye instead of in front. Air Apparent consists of four outdoor walls with benches, with backs that tilt back, allowing visitors to lean back and watch the sky through the square hole in the floating roof. The ceiling itself is shifting colors at an in-perceptible increments. The color of the ceiling affects the perception of the blue of the sky, thanks to a principle of simultaneous contrast. After ten or fifteen minutes of mindful presence in this installation, I felt as refreshed and relaxed as if I had been meditating. Quite the break from flashing images on a phone screen!

The fact that this art piece is open to the public for free, on Arizona State Universities campus, made me wonder why no one else was there. Often universities offer life enriching experiences. I spent much of my 20's as a student, going to International Cinema, visiting the campus art museum, attending clubs, weekly recitals, dances, and student plays. College campuses are cultural hot spots and some students take advantage of the education that is offered beyond the classroom, and others do not. It's too bad. One friend recently told me that they had been to the National Park site in our town for the first time. He'd lived here for almost as long as I had, and I've probably been there twenty times. With minimal research, you could find local library family history centers, line dancing groups, hot yoga classes, bike riding clubs, city arboretums, or kayak outfitters. James Turrell's artwork makes glad for such an opportunity for the Temple community. It reminds me to slow down, pay attention, and live life more fully.