Grimanesa Amorós

Grimanesa Amorós
Grimanesa Amorós Uros Island, Venice Biennial 2011
Born
Grimanesa Amorós

1962 (age 62–63)[1]
Lima, Peru[1]
NationalityPeruvian-born American
Known forInstallation art, Light art, Female sculptor
Notable workAmplexus (2022)
Pink Lotus (2015)
Uros House (2011)
AwardsNational Endowment for the Arts Visual Artists Fellowship Grant and the Art in Embassies Program
Websitewww.grimanesaamoros.com

Grimanesa Amorós (/ˈɡrɪmənɛsəəmˈɔːroʊs/ gri-mah-NEH-sah-ah-moh-ROHS; born 1962 in Lima, Peru) is a Peruvian-born American multimedia artist known for her work with light and technology.[2] She creates large-scale sculptures that explore themes of cultural heritage, community, and the intersection of technology and art. After a trip to Iceland,[3] her work began to incorporate lighting technology as a medium to enhance conceptual depth rather than defining it.[4]

Amorós’s installations have been exhibited internationally at venues including the Ludwig Museum in Cologne, Germany[5] and the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Shanghai, China.[6] Notable projects include Uros House at Times Square in New York City and Golden Waters at the Scottsdale Waterfront in Arizona.

In addition to her artistic practice, Amorós has lectured at institutions such as the NYU Stern School of Business,[7] Brown University,[8] and events including TEDGlobal[9] and UBS x Art Basel[10] in Hong Kong. Her art draws inspiration from cultural legacies, natural landscapes, and societal themes such as mental health, aiming to create immersive experiences that connect viewers, spaces, and communities.[3]

Early life and career

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Grimanesa Amorós was born in Lima, Peru[11] in 1962.[11] Her father was a civil engineer,[12][13] and her mother was a creative.[12] While Amorós often observed her mother at work,[12] both of her parents profoundly influenced her future artistic practice.[12]

At the age of 11, Amorós developed a fascination with maps,[3] which her mother recognized as a sign of her creative inclinations.[3] In response, she enrolled Amorós in painting classes, nurturing her budding artistic interests.[3]

Amorós pursued higher education in psychology, studying full-time at university.[14] However, she left the program three months before graduating to follow a different path.[3]

In 1984, Amorós relocated to New York City,[3] where she began studying at The Art Students League of New York, where she studied from 1984 to 1988.[15] At the League, she studied various artistic techniques and further developed her approach to creative expression.

Notable light installations

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Amplexus (2022)

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Amplexus is a light installation by Peruvian-American artist Grimanesa Amorós. The title, derived from the Latin word for "embrace," reflects the artist's interest in exploring themes of connection and cultural landscapes.[16] The work was created for Noor Riyadh, an annual citywide festival of light and art held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.[17]

As part of her artistic process, Amorós conducted a survey of the local cultural and physical landscapes, which informed the design of the piece.[16] According to Amorós, Amplexus incorporates elements inspired by “a collective community consciousness, the city’s architecture, and the untamed magic of the desert itself.”[16] The installation uses light, form, and reflective materials to mirror the city’s unique characteristics back onto itself, aligning with the festival's theme of engaging viewers with Riyadh’s urban and natural environment.[16]

Constructed from LEDs, diffusive and reflective materials,[18] and spanning 100 feet by 85 feet by 32 feet,[18] Amplexus features programmed lighting sequences inspired by the sunsets and the shapes of the dunes, as experienced by Amorós during her visits to the desert. The installation engages with the architecture of the Cultural Palace and the surrounding environment, incorporating elements that mirror the evolving identity of Riyadh while embracing the city’s Islamic architecture in a circular way.[16]

Golden Array (2021)

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Golden Array (2021) is a light installation by Grimanesa Amorós commissioned by Reliance Group and Maker Maxity in the Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai, India.[19] Inspired by the telephone wires above the Mumbai skyline, this light installation explores the theme of connectivity among humans.[19]

The structure is composed of multiple LEDs, with its LEDs mimicking the telephone wires of the Mumbai skyline. It spans 210 feet by 25 feet by 75 feet, making it one of Amorós's largest installations.[20]

Argentum (2019)

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Argentum was commissioned for the Bronx Museum of the Arts by Martin Weinstein and Teresa Liszka for their new location at 80 White Street.[21] The work, meaning silver in Latin, was created in stainless steel, inspired by the material's historic usage in the building and expansion of Manhattan.

This permanent installation at the Bronx Museum is made of LEDs, diffusion and reflective material, a custom lighting sequence, electrical hardware, and stainless steel.[21] Spanning 9 feet by 5 feet and 4 inches by 5 feet and 4 inches, the work incorporates programmed lighting sequences that highlight the interplay between light and shadow, creating a dynamic effect that evolves throughout the day.[21] This work reflects the shape of Manhattan and The Bronx and the museum's focus on expanding into different boroughs.[22]

Glowing red tubes form an open dome in a park at night.
Hedera in Prospect Park, Brooklyn

Hedera (2018)

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As part of its 40th anniversary in 2018, BRIC commissioned Hedera, a large light installation for Prospect Park in Brooklyn, New York. Amorós said she wanted the sculpture to bring viewers closer to a utopia in which people could "celebrate nature, diversity, creativity, and their shared humanity."[23]

Hedera measures 40 feet by 40 feet by 24 feet.[23] This work has its own custom lighting sequence of red and white tubing that flows and pulsates.[23] In the sculpture's cupola, visitors were able to see their own reflections.[23] Meaning ivy in Latin, Amorós drew inspiration from Prospect Park's own flora and its natural beauty.[23] This installation was on view from June 5th to August 14th, 2018.[23]

Tubes filled with lavender, gold, and white lights wrap around each other and extend into the distance.
The light installation Ocupante at the Ludwig Museum in Koblenz, Germany

Ocupante (2016)

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In 2016, Grimanesa Amorós had her own exhibition, titled Ocupante at the Ludwig Museum in Koblenz, Germany.[24] Her most significant art piece in that exhibition is her light installation, spanning 60 feet by 40 feet by 25 feet.[25]

Ocupante, meaning "occupant" in Spanish, takes inspiration from the differing sides on the topic of immigration.[25] The location of Koblenz was also an inspiration, as it is a location in which three parts of the Berlin Wall are dedicated to "victims of the division".[25] This piece explores themes of displacement and belonging, inviting the viewer to become an Ocupante of their own dreams, desires, and physical realities.[25]

An accompanying catalogue for the exhibition, also titled Ocupante, was published by Hirmer Publishers to explore the literary themes explored in the exhibition.[26] The catalog features essays by de :Beate Reifenscheid, images of the light installation, and insights into Grimanesa Amorós's artistic process, providing additional context to the concepts of displacement, belonging, and immigration.

Grimanesa Amorós pink lotus peninsula hotel New York
Pink Lotus at Peninsula Hotel NY 2016

Pink Lotus (2015)

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Golden Waters in Scottsdale, Arizona

Created for Breast Cancer Awareness Month LED lights sculpture installed on the Beaux-Arts façade of The Peninsula New York hotel. The artwork highlights the two Roman goddesses on the facade.[27]

Golden Waters (2015)

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Golden Waters was inspired waterways constructed by the Hohokam tribe in the 13th century.[28] The sculpture is attached to the Soleri bridge, designed by artist, architect and philosopher Paolo Soleri, and runs parallel to the canal channel eighty feet (24 m) west of the bridge.[29] The LED sculpture is a metaphor for the "shifting balance between the city and nature".[30]

Breathless Maiden Lane (2014)

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Breathless Maiden Lane at 125 Maiden Lane New York, NY

Breathless Maiden Laneas an installation in the atrium of 125 Maiden Lane, a glass, marble and granite space in New York's Financial District. Amorós used LED lights, diffusive material, and "bubble" sculptures. The LED tubing was an allusion to reeds that grow in northern Peru, and the bubbles meant to suggest the artificial islands of Lake Titicaca.[31] The light installation is a part of VIP The Armory Show (art fair) event.[32]

mirror connection cafam museum of cafa Arata Isozaki light installation light art Grimanesa Amorós
The Mirror Connection at Museum of China Central Academy of Fine Arts by Grimanesa Amorós

The Mirror Connection (2013)

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The Mirror Connection was a light sculpture installation which was opened June 2, 2013 and ran through June 22nd, 2013.[33] It included exposed circuitry and unpredictable light patterns.[34]

Uros Island at the 2011 Venice Biennale as part of the collateral project Future Pass

Uros House in Times Square

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Part of the Times Square Alliance Public Arts Program[35] in collaboration with The Armory Show (art fair)[36] This piece was later on being exhibited at the Paul and Lulu Hilliard University Art Museum at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in Lafayette, Louisiana[37] Uros House uses the traditional shape and design of the Uros islands houses to mirror the beauty of sea foam.[38]

Uros Island at the 54th Venice Biennale (2011)

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54th International Art Exhibition in Venice, Italy. Part of the Collateral Event FUTURE PASS [39]

Uros Island, an installation by Grimanesa Amorós that was featured at the 54th Venice Biennale's International Art Exhibition.[40] The exhibition traveled to Wereldmuseum in Rotterdam, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts in Taiwan and Today Art Museum in China.[41]

Uros at Tribeca Issey Miyake (2011)

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Grimanesa Amorós "Uros" Tribeca Issey Miyake

The bubbles created a tension with the store's exoskeletal designed by Frank Gehry.[42]

Collaborations

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Afrodiaspora CD cover for Susana Baca designed by Grimanesa Amorós Studio, 2011
Miranda Grimaensa Amorós video art light between the islands
Grimanesa Amorós Miranda Video Tel Aviv Israel 2013

In 2011, Grimanesa Amorós collaborated with Afro-Peruvian singer and Peru’s Minister of Culture, Susana Baca,[43] on the video Between Heaven and Earth, for which Baca composed an original score titled Nacimiento de Voces (Birth Voices).[44] Amorós also produced the interview documentary La Conexión Perfecta de Susana Baca, which was later used in Baca’s concerts.[43] Their collaboration extended to Baca’s 2011 album Afrodiaspora, where Amorós designed the CD cover and incorporated images of her artwork alongside photos of Baca.[45]

That same year, Amorós worked with multiple Grammy-nominated artist Meshell Ndegeocello[46] on the video La Incubadora and collaborated with Grammy-winning José Luis Pardo of Los Amigos Invisibles for the score of Reflexión Obscura.[47] She also partnered with fashion designer Manuel Fernandez for his Fashion Art show, creating a dress titled Precious Nipples.[48]

In her video Rootless Algas, Amorós worked with Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson, who composed an original score.[49] The video was exhibited alongside her installation featuring large, multi-colored algae made from translucent abaca sheets.

In 2013, Amorós collaborated with Ivri Lider of The Young Professionals on the soundtrack for her video Miranda, which premiered with her light sculpture Light Between the Islands in Tel Aviv, Israel.[50]

In 2014, she partnered with Akiko Elizabeth Maie, the latest label from Nepenthes AMERICA INC., to present Onkochishin 2014.[51]

Amorós later collaborated with Cindy Chao during the Biennale des Antiquaires at the Grand Palais in Paris, France, creating the lighting sculpture Timeless Motion (In Life and Light).[52]

In 2015, Grimanesa Amorós’s large-scale light sculpture PINK LOTUS was installed on the façade of The Peninsula Hotel in New York as part of The Art of Pink, an international Breast Cancer Awareness Month arts initiative sponsored by The Peninsula Hotels worldwide.[53] Inspired by the lotus flower’s symbolism of transformation and balance, the installation was curated by Circa 1881 and positioned between the landmark’s statues of Ceres and Diana,[54] evoking themes of femininity and empowerment.[53]

In 2016, Quintessentially and LVMH’s Moët Hennessy invited Grimanesa to create a sculpture for their VIP experience and event celebrating Hennessy's product Paradis Impérial Cognac.[55] The piece was installed at the penthouse of The Residences at The Miami Beach EDITION, where Amorós co-hosted the event alongside Hennessy, an LVMH subsidiary.[55]

In 2021, Grimanesa Amorós’s light sculpture dress Precious Nipples, created in collaboration with Manuel Fernández, was featured as the representative image for The Exhibition N5. Worn by actress Juana Acosta, the piece symbolized the exhibition’s focus on gender rights and women’s empowerment.[56] N5, developed by Manuel Fernández in partnership with the Fashion Art Institute and Omar Ayyashi, aligns with the European Union’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 5) and features photographs highlighting gender equality, with contributions from actresses such as Belén Rueda, Paz Vega, and Anna Castillo.[56]

In 2022, Grimanesa Amorós collaborated with AS IF Magazine for the cover and feature spread of its 21st issue, showcasing Maya Hawke, an actress and singer-songwriter.[57] The shoot, photographed by Tatijana Shoan, an award-winning photographer for AS IF Magazine, incorporated light as a metaphor—a recurring theme in Hawke’s latest album, Moss.[57]

Awards and grants

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References

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  1. ^ a b Puerto, Cecilia (1996). Latin American Women Artists, Kahlo and Look who else: A Selective, Annotated Bibliography. Bloomsbury Academic. ISBN 9780313289347.
  2. ^ "BBC - Grimanesa Amorós: Bridging cultures with light".
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "arc Magazine's interview with Grimanesa Amoros".
  4. ^ "Grimanesa Amoros Biography on her official website".
  5. ^ "A Women's Thing, Artist Grimanesa Amorós Builds Sculptures of Light with Technology". 21 April 2021.
  6. ^ "Peruvian Artist Grimanesa Amoros Talked About Her Art Career During Her World Tour at CAFA".
  7. ^ "Video of Grimanesa Amoros lecturing at NYU Stern School of Business".
  8. ^ "Arte Realizzata, Grimanesa Amoros presenting at the Light in Art and Architecture Symposium at Brown University".
  9. ^ "A recap of session 5 at TEDGlobal 2014". 8 October 2014.
  10. ^ "Video of Grimanesa Amoros and Dr. Qilan Shen at the Open Classroom - Artist in Focus at UBS x Art Basel".
  11. ^ a b Grimanesa Amorós Interview by "Asia Sur - Edición Nº 116", Revista Asia Sur, 7 June 2012, retrieved July 27, 2015
  12. ^ a b c d "A Fascinating Conversation with Grimanesa Amoros".
  13. ^ "Jez Magazine, The Illuminator, page 108".
  14. ^ "Art Pulse, Grimanesa Amorós - Interview".
  15. ^ "Brooklyn Museum Grimanesa Amorós Profile".
  16. ^ a b c d e "BBC, Grimanesa Amorós: Bridging cultures with light".
  17. ^ "Harper's Bazaar Arabia, احتفال نور الرياض 2022 نبض من النور يملأ سماء عاصمة الفنون".
  18. ^ a b "Grimanesa Amoros, AMPLEXUS Official Page".
  19. ^ a b "Youandimag You & I Monthly Magazine dated Sun, 2 Jan 22".
  20. ^ "Hyperallergic, An Artist Brings Light to Mumbai".
  21. ^ a b c "The Bronx Museum, ARGENTUM".
  22. ^ "Wall Street Journal, Bronx Museum Expands Into Manhattan".
  23. ^ a b c d e f "Grimanesa Amorós: HEDERA". BRIC Arts Media. Retrieved 2018-06-01.
  24. ^ "Ludwig Museum Koblenz, Grimanesa Amorós. Ocupante".
  25. ^ a b c d "Grimanesa Amorós." E-Squared Magazine Official website, issue 3, 2017.Grimanesa Amorós article PDF
  26. ^ Grimanesa Amorós (2017). Ocupante. Munich: Hirmer Publishers. ISBN 9783777426488.
  27. ^ "Grimanesa Amorós Pink Lotus". The Peninsula New York. Archived from the original on 4 March 2018.
  28. ^ Slenske, Michael, (June 30, 2015), "Light art illuminates a canal in the desert", Architectural Digest.
  29. ^ Mufson, Beckett, (June 18, 2015), "Golden Light Flows Like Water in Hanging Installation", The Creators Project
  30. ^ "Grimanesa Amorós. Golden Waters". Wall Street International. 10 July 2015.
  31. ^ "Breathless Maiden Lane". Time Art In Buildings. Archived from the original on 2020-09-20. Retrieved 2020-08-29.
  32. ^ "Time Equities Art-in-Buildings Hosts VIP Armory Show on March 8 Maiden Lane". Art PR Wire.
  33. ^ "GRIMANESA AMORÓS: The Mirror Connection". China Central Academy of Fine Arts, China. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-07-27.
  34. ^ "Grimanesa Amorós: Luminous Circuitry". Installation Magazine. 21 June 2013. Retrieved 2015-08-07.
  35. ^ "The Times Square Armory Show". Time Square Arts. Retrieved 2015-07-27.
  36. ^ "Five Major Public Art Sculptures Unveiled in Times Square", The Official Site of Time Square, archived from the original on 2017-06-28, retrieved 2020-08-29
  37. ^ "Fall 2011", Paul and Lulu Hilliard University Art Museum, archived from the original on 2015-10-31, retrieved 2020-08-29
  38. ^ "UROS HOUSE by Grimanesa Amorós at Time Square, Father Duffy Square, New York". wescover.com. Retrieved 2018-03-14.
  39. ^ Grimanesa Amorós Website Uros Island, Wynwood, archived from the original on November 13, 2011, retrieved August 24, 2011
  40. ^ Platt, Kevin Holden,"Grimanesa Amorós: Sculpting with Light and Video", Yuan Space[permanent dead link‍]
  41. ^ "Future Pass – From Asia to the World, International Art @ La Biennale di Venezia". Ganzo. Archived from the original on 2022-01-19. Retrieved 2015-07-27.
  42. ^ "The Artist Behind the Light Installation at Tribeca Issey Miyake". Hyperallergic. 23 December 2011. Retrieved 2011-12-23.
  43. ^ a b "Grimanesa Amorós: Una peruana que brilla en el arte contemporáneo mundial".
  44. ^ "World Music Central: Susana Baca Will Perform at The Hostos Center in New York".
  45. ^ Susana Baca, album cover by Grimanesa Amorós Studio (2009). "Afrodiaspora". Luaka Bop. Retrieved 2025-01-17.
  46. ^ "Slow Ghost, Grimanesa Amorós Has Something to Say About Hope".
  47. ^ "REFLEXION OBSCURA di Grimanesa Amoros".
  48. ^ "Exploring Light and Essence: The Luminescence of Grimanesa Amorós".
  49. ^ Grimanesa Amorós, "Between Heaven Heaven and Earth" and Afrodiaspora CD album Grimanesa Amorós Afrodiaspora page Archived 2011-10-07 at the Wayback Machine
  50. ^ Farver, Jane, (2013), "Grimanesa Amorós’ Light between the Islands" Archived 2018-03-04 at the Wayback Machine, Litvak Gallery
  51. ^ "Grimanesa Amorós and Akiko Elizabeth Maie: Onkochishin 2014". Musée Magazine. Archived from the original on 2015-03-24. Retrieved 2020-08-29.
  52. ^ "Timeless Motion, La Nueva Instalación de Grimanesa Amorós".
  53. ^ a b "PR Newswire, The Peninsula New York Presents Grimanesa Amoros' PINK LOTUS in Honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month".
  54. ^ "The Peninsula New York, Then and Now".
  55. ^ a b "Quintessentially Hennessy 43" (PDF).
  56. ^ a b "N5 equality for all genders".
  57. ^ a b "Page Six: Maya Hawke, 24, looks just like mom Uma Thurman on As If magazine cover".
  58. ^ "Choose Creativity Award Winners".
  59. ^ "New York City Public Design Commission 41st Annual Award Winners".
  60. ^ "CODAWORX Creative Revolutionaries".
  61. ^ "Harper's Bazaar Arabia - Culture Summit Abu Dhabi". 10 April 2018.
  62. ^ "Civita Institute Past Fellows".
  63. ^ a b c d e f "Art in Embassies Grimanesa Amoros profile".
  64. ^ "Visionary Art Show Lifetime Achievement Award Winners".
  65. ^ "ARTspace Past Artists in Residence".
  66. ^ "ART/OMI Past Fellows".
  67. ^ "Bronx Museum of the Arts Past Fellows".
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