Lalique Japan Co., Ltd. unveiled a limited edition art piece by Lalique and American artist James Turrell at Paris+ par Art Basel in October 2022.


This new collaboration between Lalique and James Turrell engages viewers with a sense of wonder and the limits of perception. Renowned as a light artist, James Turrell has tackled a small-scale piece for the first time. This unique collaboration between these two "light artists" is the result of more than four years of close collaboration. The opportunity for its unveiling comes in 2022, when Lalique celebrates the 100th anniversary of the founding of its Alsace-based glass factory. The collaboration, consisting of 42 crystal light panels and two limited-edition fragrance bottles, each made up of 100 pieces, was unveiled at Paris+ par Art Basel from October 20 to 23, 2022.

Lalique Art is an official partner of this world-renowned art fair.


James Turrell began the collaboration by designing two fragrance bottles. Fascinated by the form of stupas found in Egypt and Asia, he used these architectural structures and spiritual monuments, where light plays a vital role, as inspiration.


Combining artistic and olfactory sensibilities, the two fragrance bottles, "Ranger Rider" and "Purple Sage," are inspired by the beauty of the American West as depicted in the Western novel "Riders of the Purple Sage" by American author Zane Grey. A prism appears in the bottle, diffusing and diffracting light. This light design presented a major challenge to Lalique's artisans: maintaining the intensity and uniformity of the colors and achieving a uniform thickness of the crystal through a completely handmade process.


This collaboration also sees James Turrell's first fragrance, working closely with Lalique perfumers. The first fragrance, Range Rider, captures the natural scents of his Arizona roots, including sage-scarred leather chaps, pepper, amber and citrus. It is an olfactory architecture that speaks to the sun-drenched landscape of the American West.

The second fragrance, Purple Sage, named after the queen of Arizona's delicate plants, offers a different interpretation of his relationship with the American West, creating a twist of fragility and strength. The softly curved bottle pays homage to feminine forms and their timelessness. The exquisite fragrance reveals fruity, musky notes, eventually revealing purple sage, mandarin, grapefruit, and rhubarb.


The 42 light panels, entitled Crystal Light, are inspired by James Turrell's 2013 installation "Aten Reign" at the Guggenheim. The panels were ultimately crafted from transparent crystal. The rippling colors were generated using a screen behind them. The design, like an optical illusion, creates a hypnotic visual effect between three and two dimensions, creating an intriguing sense of depth.


These collaborations were born from a meeting between the artists and Silvio Denz, Chairman of the Lalique Group.

"I immediately saw the necessity of a collaboration between Lalique and James Turrell, the artist of light. This collaboration makes perfect sense when it evokes René Lalique, known as the 'Sculptor of Light.' This is a profound artistic adventure that expresses unparalleled elegance and modernity. It is a seemingly impossible challenge. I am honored and delighted to contribute to the prestigious circle of Lalique art."

says Silvio Denz.


James Turrell says:

"The nature of my work is to shape light. Light is the material. Perception is the medium. I was aware of René Lalique, but not the extent of his creativity. I witnessed the skilled artisans at work in the Lalique factory and was mesmerized by their virtuosity. They are true artists. I have now designed my first fragrance and created crystal pieces. The sense of smell, more than any other sense, evokes memories. With the help of Lalique's artisans and perfumers, I was able to make this a reality. Creating a fragrance is a bit like creating a known world. Like René Lalique, I seek light, and I will continue to do so."

James Turrell & LALIQUE
RANGE RIDER (Range Rider) Limited to 100 pieces worldwide, 4.7 million yen
PURPLE SAGE (Purple : Sage) Limited to 100 pieces worldwide, 4.7 million yen
CRYSTAL LIGHT) Limited to 42 pieces worldwide, 22 million yen
*Reference price (excluding tax) based on exchange rates as of November 2022
*Global release scheduled for spring 2023 or later


About Lalique
Founded in 1888 by the renowned innovative artist René Lalique, Lalique is a premier crystal glass maison representing the French luxury lifestyle. With an artistic style that demonstrates its unique savoie-faire (traditional craftsmanship), Lalique currently offers products in six areas: crystal glass decorative items, interior design, fragrances, jewelry, art pieces, and hospitality, providing the value of "art de vivre (beautiful living)."
Official website: https://lalique.jp



About Lalique Art
Today, Lalique Art shares Lalique's expertise with leading contemporary artists, gifted designers, and cultural institutions. Its goal is to create unique and exceptional works of art. Lalique Art utilizes the interplay of light, transparency, color, and shape to provide artists with new inspirations and motifs. The remarkable encounter between art and crystal has led to new forms of creative expression.


About James Turrell
Born in Los Angeles, California in 1943. Received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Pomona College in 1965. Studied art at the University of California, Irvine Graduate School from 1965 to 1966. Received a Master of Arts from Claremont Graduate University in 1973. James Turrell, who began his artistic career in the 1960s, primarily explores light and space. By exploring the manifestations of light, his work challenges the very nature of how perception influences and shapes reality. Part meditative, part disruptive, his work elevates the viewer's perception and places them in a realm of experience. Currently based in Flagstaff, he is currently working on "Roden Crater," an unprecedented artwork located in the Painted Desert of northern Arizona. "Roden Crater," the culmination of his lifelong research into human visual and psychological perception, is a masterpiece. It is both a monumental piece of land art and a visual guide to the movement of celestial and planetary bodies.

James Turrell's work can be seen in museums worldwide, including the Guggenheim Museum in New York. In Japan, permanent exhibitions include the House of Light in Tokamachi, Niigata Prefecture; the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa; and the Chichu Art Museum in Naoshima, Kagawa Prefecture.


About Art Basel
Founded in 1970 by gallerists in the western Swiss city of Basel, Art Basel is the world's leading art fair showcasing modern and contemporary art, held in Basel, Miami Beach, Hong Kong, and Paris. Each fair's city and region give it its own unique character, reflected in the participating galleries, exhibited works, and parallel programming developed in collaboration with local institutions. Art Basel's role has expanded beyond the art fair realm, with new digital platforms and initiatives such as the Global Art Market Report, co-hosted by Art Basel and UBS, and the BMW Art Journey. Art Basel's global media partner is the Financial Times.
Official website: https://www.artbasel.com