Set to captivate art lovers and sky watchers alike, the American artist James Turrell’s largest Skyspace installation, titled "As Seen Below," is poised to debut on 19 June 2026 at the ARoS Aarhus Art Museum in Denmark. Nestled within a 40-meter-wide domed extension, this immersive fulldome experience merges architectural grandeur with an exploration of light, perception, and sky-gazing, creating a contemplative space that transcends conventional art museums. This much-anticipated project forms the crowning jewel in a major expansion of ARoS, undertaken by Danish firm Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects, which has notably enhanced the museum’s footprint with new subterranean galleries and outdoor exhibition spaces.
Turrell, a pioneer whose major projects often wrestle with the very act of seeing, shares his intent behind the installation: “With As Seen Below I’m shaping the experience of seeing rather than delivering an image.” He accentuates the immersive quality of the dome, emphasizing that "the architecture holds the sky close, so you recognize that the act of looking is the work itself." For visitors, this means stepping beyond passive observation into an active, almost meditative dialogue with the sky itself—an engagement that promises a profoundly personal experience within the context of a public museum.
The architecture of "As Seen Below" allows visitors to approach the installation through a light-filled, underground corridor linking it to the new subterranean Salling Gallery. Once inside, one is enveloped in a 16-meter-tall dome featuring a commanding central aperture framing the sky, enhanced by a sophisticated lighting system designed by Turrell to bathe the interior in monochromatic hues. This interplay of natural and artificial light serves to heighten the sensory impact, fostering a shifting tableau that mirrors the subtle changes of the sky above. The minimalistic interior also features stepped seating wrapping around the dome and concentric brick paving radiating outward from a central pit, inviting visitors to pause and immerse fully in the experience while the sky’s evolving colors and light become a living artwork.
Externally, the dome harmonizes with its surroundings through a grass-covered volume that integrates seamlessly with the museum’s garden. Its design incorporates an outer built-in seating area that winds around the base, subtly encouraging outdoor contemplation before entering the dome. It is a design balancing grandiosity with subtlety—an inviting beacon hidden in plain sight that underscores Turrell’s ethos of light as a spatial and emotional medium.
On a broader scale, this project not only enriches ARoS’s cultural offerings but also stands as a landmark in the global fulldome and immersive art movement. Unlike many traditional planetariums focused predominantly on scientific presentations, Turrell’s Skyspace straddles art and experience, prioritizing perception and atmosphere rather than narrative or explanation. This nuanced approach complements the growing trend where immersive venues become sites of both education and artistic exploration. Turrell’s work, alongside other recent innovations in immersive architecture, such as installations in the AlUla desert and forested Colorado slopes, showcases an evolving practice that pushes the boundaries of environmental art and spatial storytelling.
Moreover, the installation exemplifies how fulldome venues can cultivate inclusive, contemplative spaces that reach diverse audiences—from dedicated art enthusiasts to casual visitors seeking new modes of interaction with their environment. By fostering a multisensory and meditative encounter, "As Seen Below" contributes to a growing appreciation of immersive experiences not just as entertainment or education, but as powerful vehicles for reflection and connection.
As the immersive arts and sciences continue to expand their horizons, institutions like ARoS and artists like Turrell are pivotal, opening doors for creators to experiment with light, space, and perception in ways that traditional exhibition models rarely afford. By offering a platform for such ambitious projects, the ARoS expansion and “As Seen Below” help solidify the role of fulldome venues as dynamic incubators of innovation. The venue will not only inspire future collaborations but also broaden the cultural and experiential possibilities for visitors worldwide, ultimately advancing the field toward ever more profound and inclusive immersive experiences.
Originally reported by Bea Mitchell via www.dezeen.com on 2025-10-27 06:22:00.
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