After a two-year closure, a popular Houston art installation has reopened to the public.
The James Turrell "Twilight Epiphany" Skyspace resumed operation on the Rice University campus Tuesday morning. Originally built in 2012, the installation had been temporarily closed while the university built a new business facility nearby.
"Twilight Epiphany" consists of a two-level pyramidal seating structure with a 72-foot-wide square roof. As the sun rises and sets each day, LED lights project colors in a deliberately timed sequence onto the roof, with a square cutout creating a striking contrast between the projections and the changing colors of the sky. Each sequence is approximately 40 minutes long.
While it's just one of over 100 Skyspace structures built by Turrell worldwide, "Twilight Epiphany" is the only one that has two levels from which to watch the light show. Its creation was funded by Rice alumna Suzanne Deal Booth.
The installation is overseen by the Moody Center for the Arts, who used the closure to update the original lighting fixtures with a more modern system.
Joel Thompson, deputy director of the Moody, said around 20,000 people visited Skyspace before its temporary closure.
"It's meant to be a contemplative, quiet environment," Thompson said. "In a way, it's comforting to have that same sequence every evening and to be able to see how the night sky changes over the year and with the weather."
With the reopening, Thompson said he's excited to introduce a new generation of Rice students to the installation.
"It's one of the key ways that Rice connects with the community," Thompson said. "The fact that we were closed for two and a half years, at this point, the majority of students on campus have not experienced the Skyspace as part of their day-to-day university life. So it's exciting to just bring that back to them."
The installation is open daily year-round, with student docents on site during the sunset sequences. Outside food and drinks are prohibited, and visitors are asked to refrain from the use of cameras or cell phones during sequences so as not to interfere with the lighting. Admission is free and open to the public, and visitors are encouraged to arrive 10 to 15 minutes before sequences start in order to guarantee a seat.
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