In the serene yet striking installations of Lachlan Turczan, nature, technology, and perception intertwine to create immersive, ephemeral experiences that invite viewers to reconsider their relationship with the environment. Known for his innovative use of light and water, Turczan crafts installations that evoke a sense of wonder and mystery, blending the tangible world with the intangible. Drawing inspiration from the Light and Space movement, his works challenge our understanding of how natural forces—especially light and water—interact, fluidly shifting the boundaries of space, time, and experience.
At the heart of Turczan’s practice is water, an element that serves as both canvas and subject. His installations are set against aquatic landscapes, where light—often projected or reflected—interacts with the water’s surface, creating a dynamic, ever-changing tableau. This marriage of technology with nature results in works that evoke the natural world in its most elusive form, playing with light, mist, and the shifting landscape.
A significant influence on Turczan’s work is the Light and Space movement, which emerged in Southern California in the 1960s. Pioneered by artists like James Turrell, Robert Irwin, and John McLaughlin, the movement explored how light, color, and space could alter human perception. Turczan embraces this legacy, though he takes it a step further by not just exploring the “nature of experience” but by actively creating immersive experiences of nature itself. “I create experiences of nature that challenge our understanding of light, water, and space,” he explains. Unlike his predecessors, who focused on the perception of light within controlled environments, Turczan’s work insists on the unpredictable, often chaotic nature of the natural world.
One of Turczan’s signature series, Veil, exemplifies his approach. Spanning diverse locations—from the salt flats of Death Valley to a flooded park near the Rhine River—these installations use lasers and beams of light to subtly alter the landscape. The beams interact with water and mist, creating intricate patterns that seem to emerge organically from the environment. What sets these pieces apart is their ephemeral nature. The installations are at the mercy of the weather, the time of day, and the location’s ever-changing conditions. Turczan approaches each site with a sense of openness, embracing the chance encounters that arise as the landscape transforms over time.
One of the most captivating pieces in this series is Veil I (2024), an installation created in the strikingly desolate Death Valley. The photograph of this work reveals a dusky, almost surreal sky where a bright beam of light intersects with the water below, creating an otherworldly scene that feels suspended in time. The vast emptiness of the landscape, paired with the piercing precision of the light, offers a meditation on both isolation and connection to the environment. The changing conditions in the desert, from wind to mist to the shifting of the light itself, add layers of complexity to the work, emphasizing the fragility of the moment.
Turczan’s work also ventures beyond the landscape, venturing into large-scale, site-specific installations such as Aldwa Alsael (2024), which translates to “liquid light.” Commissioned for the Noor Riyadh Light Art Festival, this piece further explores the interplay between light and water, creating a mesmerizing spectacle that transforms the space it occupies. By using water as both a literal and metaphorical medium, Turczan captures the fluidity of time, light, and place—qualities that seem to slip away just as quickly as they emerge.
What’s striking about Turczan’s work is his emphasis on unpredictability. The artist notes that even when he finds a location that seems ideal for a new piece, the conditions are never static. Nature, as he observes, is always in flux, which means that his installations must adapt to the changing environment. “I may discover a location in nature that seems perfect for a new Veil sculpture, but when I return, the conditions have inevitably changed,” Turczan says. This willingness to embrace change and uncertainty results in works that feel alive, pulsing with the rhythms of the natural world.
In many ways, Turczan’s work is a meditation on the fragility and resilience of both nature and human perception. By using light as a tool to enhance the tactile, fleeting qualities of water, he creates environments that feel both otherworldly and familiar. The effect is both calming and awe-inspiring, offering a rare opportunity to witness the beauty of the world through an entirely new lens.
Turczan’s installations also engage with the broader legacy of nature-based art, drawing on the precedents set by artists like Turrell, who transformed architectural spaces through controlled light and natural elements. However, while Turrell’s work often exists in more enclosed environments, Turczan’s work is rooted firmly in nature’s vast, uncontrollable spaces. His pieces are reflections of the environment they inhabit, shaped by the sun, the wind, the water, and the ever-changing sky.
As Turczan continues to explore new locations and push the boundaries of his medium, his work offers a profound reminder of the delicate interplay between the natural world and human intervention. His installations are not just a celebration of the beauty of nature but a reflection on how we experience it—how light, water, and space can converge to create something entirely new.
For those intrigued by the ephemeral magic of Turczan’s work, more information can be found on his website, with updates shared regularly through his Instagram account. His pieces offer an invitation to look closely at the world around us, to witness the fleeting moments where art, nature, and perception intersect.
