The official opening date for the Skyspace in Green Mountain Falls, Colorado, has been set for June 18, 2022. The experiential work by iconic light and space artist James Turrell (born 1943) will be unveiled during the 2022 Green Box Arts Festival. The installation will be the first Skyspace in the state of Colorado and the first in the world to be nestled into the side of a mountain.
An instant pilgrimage destination, the Green Mountain Falls Skyspace will attract global arts enthusiasts, first to Green Mountain Falls, and ultimately on a spirited trek through an entrancing conifer forest for the ultimate reward—a transcendent, sensory work of art. Standing 18-feet-tall, the Skyspace was commissioned by the Historic Green Mountain Falls Foundation. The Skyspace experience will take viewers on a one-of-a-kind kinetic light and color encounter.
“Green Mountain Falls provides visitors with the opportunity to slow down and experience something truly unexpected and unlike anything else,” said Green Box Co-Founder Christian Keesee. “The James Turrell Skyspace will add to the already inspirational setting and community that brings together art and nature, family and friends, earth and sky.”
A harmonious extension of the landscape, the immersive installation will be distinctive to Green Mountain Falls, while preserving its natural setting. A new trailhead located in the center of town will deliver hikers directly to the sheltered Skyspace in the hills above. Construction of the Skyspace was a feat of engineering, with its exclusively Colorado-sourced materials transported up the side of the mountain.
The 2022 Green Box Arts Festival will officially debut the Skyspace with an event featuring Pikes Peak Poet Laureate, Ashley Cornelius, who has been commissioned by Green Box to create and perform a spoken word piece about the work. Additionally, three other works of public art will be introduced at the festival: A sculpture by Israeli artist Yaacov Agam (born 1928), a limited-edition Keith Haring Fitness Court® and a commissioned work by Czech-American artist Michael Krondl (born 1960).
“We are excited to unveil James Turrell’s immersive work of art and look forward to visitors from near and far rediscovering the importance of a tranquil unplugged existence,” added Green Box Co-Founder Larry Keigwin. “After a spirited hike to the Skyspace, visitors will leave this extraordinary work and Green Mountain Falls refreshed, re-energized and curious for more.”
At an elevation of 7,800 feet, amid the foothills of Pikes Peak, Green Mountain Falls is an idyllic retreat, a short 20 minutes from downtown Colorado Springs and only a 90-minute drive from Denver. A special place of wonder, calm and refreshment, Green Mountain Falls celebrates beauty, builds authentic connections and welcomes visitors who share the values of fostering the arts in all its forms and protecting our natural environment.
James Turrell’s Skyspace in Green Mountain Falls joins an exclusive list of more than 85 Skyspaces the artist has designed and built throughout the world, including in Argentina, Japan, Greece, Norway and Australia. The Skyspace in Green Mountain Falls is one of the few by Turrell that features a retractable roof, providing flexibility in case of inclement weather and the ability to conduct viewings during the day, in addition to the traditional sunrise and sunset shows. Distinctive and rewarding viewing experiences are offered when the roof is both open and closed.
Iconic American artist James Turrell is known for cultivating peaceful and powerful environmental works of art that focus on human perception. His interest in the physical presence of light and space derives in part from his Quaker heritage. Turrell’s autonomous Skyspaces, with ceiling apertures open to the sky, may be understood as creative observatories—a combination of architecture, sculpture and atmosphere perfectly positioned in nature.
About Green Box
Green Box’s visionary co-founders Christian Keesee and Larry Keigwin believe that arts and education are critical to the vibrancy and wellness of our communities. What began as a week-long residency with Keigwin’s New York-based dance troupe has blossomed into a year-round celebration and incubator of multidisciplinary visual and performing arts for visitors from Colorado and around the world. The summer festival’s hallmarks of accessibility and experimentation in a spectacular natural setting offer curious audiences a fresh and playful approach to some of the most compelling visual and performing arts being produced today.
With an active artist-in-residence program, educational offerings and creative experiences for audiences of all ages, Green Box seeks to enrich and engage its community and visitors for generations to come. The organization has developed partnerships with local schools and community organizations to enhance its reach, furthering its commitment to nurturing creativity and appreciation for different perspectives.
For detailed information about all of Green Box’s programming, please visit greenboxarts.org.
About the Green Box founders
Christian Keesee is the manager of his family office, which invests primarily in banking, energy related projects and philanthropy in New York, Colorado and Oklahoma. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Frick Collection, a Trustee Emeritus of the American Ballet Theatre, a Trustee of the Tate Americas Foundation and Founder and Trustee of Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center.
Larry Keigwin is a New York-based educator and award-winning choreographer and dancer, whose diverse portfolio of work has been performed at venues around the world. He is the founder and artistic director of KEIGWIN + COMPANY, serves as a board member of Green Box and is the dance editor of the quarterly arts publication ArtDesk.
