James Turrell: Twilight Epiphany

Twilight Epiphany, the James Turrell Skyspace at the Suzanne Deal Booth Centennial Pavilion, is Houston's most iconic public artwork. Gifted to Rice by alumna Suzanne Deal Booth, who worked for the artist while in graduate school at New York University and helped him build the first Skyspace at MoMA PS1 in New York, Twilight Epiphany is the 73rd in Turrell's groundbreaking series of light-filled architectural spaces. At sunrise and sunset, LED lights in the upper viewing area of the structure cast a slowly-changing spectrum of light against the pure white ceiling of the Skyspace, conflating the rich tones of cast light with the naturally-occurring, changing colors of the sky. Standing adjacent to Alice Pratt Brown Hall, home of the Shepherd School of Music, Twilight Epiphany is the first Skyspace to be engineered for acoustics, both for live performances and electronic music, and it serves as a performative laboratory for Shepherd School students, faculty, and visiting artists. The structure accommodates 120 people across two floors and is the only two-story Skyspace in the world. There is bench seating inside the Skyspace in both the upper and lower viewing areas; no chairs or blankets are required. The Skyspace is handicap accessible via the lower viewing area, and there are two spaces for wheelchairs. The light sequence will run rain or shine; please dress accordingly, as the Skyspace is open-air. In the event of lightning, a docent may ask visitors to exit the Skyspace. Please do not bring food or beverages into the space. Pets, bicycles, and skateboards are strictly prohibited. The grass hill and light panels in the upper viewing area are part of the installation — please do not walk or sit on them. Please refrain from the use of cameras and/or cell phones during the light performances.