Change the color of the sky and how do you do that im not changing the color of the sky but im im changing your context a vision which give you a different color to sky to make it any color you like and some of the sky spaces but. That has more to do with you know how we form our perception we we the sky is blue because we have give it that color we awarded that color because we do that means it and then we can change it. So. Thats not difficult to do. But i mean and people are surprised by that because essentially we feel we receive everything that were not a part of that we behold and were definitely a part of that we behold so and thats one thing the artist can do is sort of give you the general cohen to tell you well you know youre making this reality within which you live so its nice to be aware of it. And it was from the air the genes to real discovered what would become his greatest artistic achievement. This is the road in a crater in arizona. To rail has built a kind of observatory inside the crater complete with underground shafts and tunnels hes been working on this project for for decades and is still not complete spirituelle experiments not only with lights but also with sound and acoustics. The spaces are sensitive to light and sound. Its almost. Difficult to make without because once you make the sensor light. Its very bright to sound so you can take your new call if you can take in. A visit to the crater is an experience that almost overwhelms the senses. But this is something where you are within the earth but above it and so this you know taking selfies into this in the sky is something very very interesting you know all the faces i make have access to the sky and to rise above and you know one of things we rarely do is if you are in new york and you watch people from just the 2nd floor of hardly anybody looks up. Its a mix so part of this is just sort of read and redirect your vision and also make you realize theres that whole world thats above us and that we have access to it. To day to real lives and works in flagstaff arizona a town with a population of about 65000. Well hello. Its gentle. Flagstaff its cold in winter and hot in summer. James was born in Los Angeles California about 600 kilometers west of here. Oh. I get it im. Doing fine. I think it must be Something Special about the light of california how did you perceive flied when you were a child well children oriental light and you do that in the crib and you will look to it and something that really helps oriented this. And i mean california is not that different than say south of france or or italy or spain. The thing that is very interesting though is a lot of people who flee shade light are from areas where its it is not as prevalent and more precious and so you know you have costs of or you have turner amazing very prescient artists just for David Friedrich the dutch school all the painters of light from norway and sweden. And petra very who came to germany to study art. You know where its more appreciated worths more precious. When james tarell frames light as in a painting hes following a centuries old tradition of western art. From the baroque period to modern times artists have been captivated by the power of light. Light can bring a scene to life increase its dramatic effect and focus the viewers attention. In the 17th century the use of light transformed the world of art. For the 1st time artists used light to highlight their subjects and not just saints but mere mortals. And even the artists themselves. They created a world of sharp contrast between light and dark. Their renaissance sought to bring light into darkness using science and reason to counter the influence of the church and religion. Rembrandts the anatomy lesson of dr nicholas tulip is the quintessential renaissance artwork the participants are gathered around the corpse of a criminal and the body is bathed in light. In the 18th century the english painter William Turner took the use of light to a new level in his work the slave ship the sky and see the low. Light of lunch the canvas and blurs contrasts turner also made use of dissolves and fading effects which he copied from early photographs. In the 20th Century Photography became the preferred medium for experimenting with light. Gifted photographers like man ray made substantial contributions to this art form. We want to say is most important artists care had reached or has found new ways to use light is still life skull with candle plays with our perceptions. The images are indistinct blurred shimmering and nothing is as it seems. James to rail uses many of the same effects in his works images blend into one another playing tricks on the viewers imagination. In college terrelle study psychology mathematics and astronomy these disciplines are reflected in his work a sophisticated attempt to alter our sense of perception one might said you are even more than an artist youre a kind of a philosopher a spiritual guy maybe a scientist how do you see yourself as an artist i mean as i say this is not things that inform science im informed by of science an interesting point is that life is also used in para p. And one of your pieces is called the healing light so is it kind of a healing experience or do you try to balance it in terms of the frequencies if you stay in the exhibition so it has kind of all kohler but you know really the Energy System is those whose cued off of exposure for lloyd. And so people call that the shocker is you just call it anything system thats fine but it is something that is physically us and so we do orient to these things and do it healing from them i was wondering and to what extent at least experience is spiritual i mean life is also a universal symbol for the divine each and every human being yes and artists have been involved with religion since day one. Making work that supports the rhetoric that comes from the priesthood or or not. But you can see that all the altar pieces and everything here and in europe i mean its quite amazing what artists did. And how they were involved with the church and also problem for the church it seems that you were inspired by the many many taishan meditative quality of light because you know you do go inside to greet the light in meditation and that you will get that visual purple and youll get the beginning of that as you enter meditation so we are followed by light we carry it within us so there never is no life. Even when youre. Inside. You know a deprivation cell. Go find that there is light that just close your eyes here or youll enter a life full realm of unsure this is i mean we do have the slider inside and. Were orient to it and. You know this is a visual mantra. Chakras and visual mantras james to rails works reflect his interest in eastern mysticism but theyre by no means esoteric. His parents were devout quakers a form of christianity that believes there is good in everyone and that we all have a direct connection to god. Sitting in silence in quaker meeting to rail learned his child to come to a place of peace in the quiet. He was raised to find the divine light in every person. Who says the door to start cemetery in central berlin philosopher georg hale and author and playwright virgil bright star among those buried here. A few years ago terrelle transformed the chapel here with an installation that took full advantage of the twilight hours. In a room without shadows filled with changing colors. The altar is a cube of acrylic glass. Outfitted with l. E. D. S. That make it a Central Source of light. Very much in line with the traditional christian concept of god. As creator and the source of divine light. Here unlike into rails guns failed works the contours remain sharply defined so that fewer is maintain proper orientation. A space in which one remembers the souls of the dead. Christians are invited to reflect on their belief in eternal life. Some may find comfort in the idea that life will not end in darkness but in light light is present at the beginning and at the end of life. At last id like to know if theres a light that you love and maybe a life that you hate while. I mean i appreciate it all i dont have any that i hate. One of the things i like to do is to give light like ive seen in the dream. This is basically a different life than we normally have there were normally involved with in the conscious awake state and what does this light come from in the dream is that memory well. Part of it could be memory yes that is replayed but then the truth is were often involved in experiences that we find later. In what we call the conscious await the wake state or life. As in deja vu so. Its not all memory which is quite interesting and curious. Where does the light come from a word does the light come from in the dream and what were those that come from and it. Is something we definitely experience. And it is powerful the dreams are most powerful when we have the dreams and color of course. And often when they are this kind of dream that is not from memory but from. Experiences that are to come the lucid dream this is quite amazing and most people have had one but thats not just having one is having one that they remembered because we often wake up and from the moment of awakening the dream is leaving us and so were trying to hold on to it but we know we can do that a bit with art by breaking like this very similar to how we see light in a dream. Because its not know how were not only see light. But but again its not unknown to us which i find very fascinating. Great thank you very much youre very welcome. James to rail gives us a key that unlocks the door to the subconscious mind is installations are like finding yourself in a vivid dream in which spatial boundaries are blurred. Light like music has the power to alter our perceptions of space. To the point where we perceive to a limited extent a sense of emptiness