Light Between the Islands background by Grimanesa Amoros
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Grimanesa Amoros portrait image with her light installation PERFECT TIMING, installed at One Wall Street for Printemps New York. It has white tubes floating around, giving Printemps New York an ephemeral look.

GRIMANESA AMORÓS is a Peruvian-born American multimedia creative whose work explores community connections intersecting history, technology, and architecture. Her keen understanding of structure enables her to create monumental sculptures incorporating lighting and custom-made electronic components to create immersive environments and connect the viewer to their surroundings. Technology compliments the concepts of her work without defining it—a medium of expression.

She derives inspiration from cultural legacies, with a central theme revolving around the concept of time. Amorós’s artwork challenge individual understanding of time, capturing a moment where viewers engage in the pursuit of questioning and challenging their initial grasp of the piece’s conceptual formation.

Describing her work as a “constant romance with the unknown”, Amorós first incorporated light into her practice following a fated trip to Iceland. While there, she saw the northern lights and realized the powerful ephemeral magic light held. She discusses light’s ability to transcend social and geographic boundaries “we all connect to light.”

Drawing upon critical cultural legacies and landscapes, Amorós is inspired by the communities she creates within. Installing and programming each piece on-site, direct interaction with the surrounding architecture is key to creating her work. “Ultimately, the piece connects the viewers, space, and light sculpture, merging them into one.” Grimanesa Amorós’ artwork ties the past, present, and future — pushing viewers to think beyond and challenging their initial perceptions.

Jane Farver writes, “A joyful and generous spirit, Amorós views her art as a gift to others.” Amorós has showcased her work extensively in the United States, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. She was a featured speaker at TED Global, a recipient of NEA Visual Arts Grants Fellowships, and is distinguished as part of the ‘Art In Embassies Program of the U.S.’ and a Civita Institute NE Chapter Fellowship Grant holder. Her art has graced the walls of numerous prestigious museums, including the Ludwig Museum, CAFA Museum, Katonah Museum, and Seoul National University Museum of Art.

Selected Projects / Commissions

RADIANCE – Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles, CA (2026)

PERFECT TIMING – One Wall Street, New York, NY (2026)

PASSAGE – The Peninsula Istanbul, Türkiye (2025)

MARITIME – The Peninsula Istanbul, Türkiye (2025)

SOLAR SANCTUARY – The Plaza, New York, NY (2025)

AMPLEXUS – Cultural Palace, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (2022)

SCIENTIA – Azkuna Zentroa, Bilbao, Spain (2022)

2025–27

Harper St. Asphalt Plant, FLEXUS (New York, NY)

2026

Printemps, PERFECT TIMING (New York, NY)

Los Angeles Philharmonic, RADIANCE (Los Angeles, CA)

2025

The Peninsula Hotel x Ci, PASSAGE (Istanbul, Turkey)

The Peninsula Hotel x Ci, MARITIME (Istanbul, Turkey)

The Plaza Residences, SOLAR SANCTUARY (New York, NY)

2024

The Bronx Museum of the Arts, ARGENTUM (New York, NY)

Veronique Gabai, L’OASIS (Paris/New York)

PRITCH London x Grimanesa Amoros, LUVINA (London/New York)

Lessin Tower, AEVUM (Middle East)

Villa Escandon, SISTRUM (Mexico City, Mexico)

2023

AETERNUM (Shelter Island, NY)

Upper East Landmark Building, PARADISUS (New York, NY)

2022

The Cultural Palace / Noor Riyadh, AMPLEXUS (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)

Azkuna Zentroa Museum / The Wellbeing Project, SCIENTIA (Bilbao, Spain)

2021

Reliance Group / JIO WORLD DRIVE, GOLDEN ARRAY (Mumbai, India)

2020

Upper East Side Building by ODA Architecture, IUGO (New York, NY)

TriBeCa Landmark Building, OSTIUM (New York, NY)

2019

Palazzo Colesanti, CETHA (Civita di Bagnoregio, Italy)

13th Havana Biennale / Detras del Muro, MARIPOSA DORADA (Havana, Cuba)

2018

TriBeCa Landmark Building, ARGENTUM (New York, NY)

Prospect Park x BRIC, HEDERA (New York, NY)

2016

Grand Palais – Biennale Des Antiquaires, TIMELESS MOTION (Paris, France)

Philippe Starck Malecón Building, DNA (Lima, Peru)

2015

The Peninsula New York, PINK LOTUS (New York, NY)

Scottsdale Public Art, Soleri Bridge, GOLDEN WATERS (Scottsdale, AZ)

2014

Time Equity Building, BREATHLESS MAIDEN LANE (New York, NY)

2013

Tabacalera, FORTUNA (Madrid, Spain)

Harper’s BAZAAR Art Night Art Basel, GOLDEN CONNECTION (Hong Kong, China)

The Lite Center, UROS HOUSE (Lafayette, Louisiana)

2012

La Ruta de la Amistad, World Monument Fund, Nino Menocal Gallery, La Torre De Los Vientos (Mexico City, Mexico)

21c Museum Hotel, UROS (Cincinnati, Ohio)

PECO Building, Art in the Air “UVASIS”, UVASIS (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)

2011

Tribeca ISSEY MIYAKE Headquarters, UROS (New York, NY)

A-PART Contemporary Art Festival, The Chapelle de la Persévérance, GOLDEN UROS (Tarascon, France)

Times Square Alliance Public Arts Program / The Armory Show, UROS HOUSE (New York, NY)

Reflexion Obscura, Between Heaven and Earth, Big Screen Project, La Procesion (New York, NY)

2010

Allure of the Seas, RACIMO (Turku, Finland)

Claramatte Parkhaus Façade, La Recolección (Basel, Switzerland)

No Longer Empty, TAPIZ (New York, NY)

2009

Tribeca ISSEY MIYAKE Headquarters, AURORA (New York, NY)

2007

Jamaica Flux: Workspaces and Windows 2007, REMOLINO (Queens, NY)

AKA One Rittenhouse Square lobby, Human Survival (Philadelphia, PA)

Hudson River Community Health Center Façade, SUBSTANCIAL (Peekskill, NY)

2006

Hudson River Community Health Center, Mobile Dental Van, AMBULANTE (Peekskill, NY)

The Lab Project, TERRAFORMS (Miami, FL)

The Bayer Building Lobby, TERRARIUM (New York, NY)

2005

Lee Building, FRENTE FEROZ (Harlem, NY)

Hudson River Community Health Center Façade, SUBSTANCIAL (Peekskill, NY)

2022

Richard Taittinger Gallery, Women (New York, NY)

2018

Tabacalera, OCUPANTE (Madrid, Spain)

Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes de Cuba, Moviendo America con Grimanesa Amoros (Havana, Cuba)

2016

Ludwig Museum, OCUPANTE (Koblenz, Germany)

Katonah Museum of Art, OnSite Katonah (Katonah, NY)

Chappelle of Couvent Des Ursuline, a-part festival, Let’s Dance, Corps en mouvements (Tarascon, France)

2014

Rutgers University, Momentum: Women, Art, and Technology (New Jersey, USA)

2013

Museum of China Central Academy of Fine Arts, THE MIRROR CONNECTION (Beijing, China)

The Litvak Gallery, Light Between the Islands (Tel Aviv, Israel)

2012

YUAN Museum, Voyager Video Retrospective (Beijing, China)

A-part Contemporary Art Festival, Golden Uros (Alpilles-Provence, France)

Seoul National University Museum of Art, LIGHTING / SCULPTURE / VIDEO (Seoul, Korea)

2011

Paul and Lulu Hilliard Art Museum at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Uros House (Lafayette, Louisiana)

Museo De Arte Contemporaneo de Alcoy La Sala NETART, Video Retrospective (Alcoy, Spain)

2010

Son Espace Gallery, Preciosas Burbujas / Preoccupation (Girona, Spain)

The Lab Gallery Rogersmith, La Incubadora (New York, NY)

2009

Centro de Cultura Antiguo Instituto (CCAI), Optica Festival, Remolino and La Maleta Del Inmigrante (Gijon, Spain)

2008

Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art, Rootless Algas (Peekskill, NY)

Hardcore Art Contemporary Space, You Cannot Feel It…I Wish You Could (Miami, FL)

2006

City Art Gallery, Fifth Edition, Natural/Human Festival, Reflexion Obscura (Varna, Bulgaria)

Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture, Between Heaven and Earth & Rootless Algas (Bronx, New York)

2004

Maxwell Fine Arts, The Peekskill Project, You cannot feel it…I wish you could (Peekskill, NY)

Artspace, Rootless Algas (Raleigh, NC)

2003

R&F Gallery, Encaustic Panels (Kingston, NY)

Artco Gallery, Installations of Drawings (Lima, Peru)

2025

Medallas de Oro XI Edición for the Visual Arts (Madrid, Spain)

2023

41st Annual Awards in Excellence in Public Work from Public Design Commission of New York City (New York, NY)

The Choose Creativity Awards, The Lulu and Leo Fund (New York, NY)

2022

ÎLE MAISON ÎM Light Award (New York, NY)

2021

CODAWORX Creative Revolutionaries (USA)

2019

Civita Institute NE Chapter Fellowship (USA)

2018

Culture Summit 2018 Artist-In-Residence Award (Abu Dhabi, UAE)

Menina NWW 2018 Award (New York, NY)

2017

The Bronx Museum of the Arts: Aim Alumni Artist Award (Bronx, NY)

Visionary Art Show Lifetime Achievement Award (Lecce, Italy)

2014

Estelle Lebowitz Visiting Artist in Residence (Jersey City, NJ)

2011

Cultural Recognition Award by the City of Newark (Newark, NJ)

2005

X Tumi USA Award (Miami, FL)

2004

Centrum Arts Residency (Port Townsend, WA)

ARTspace Summer Artist-in-Residence (Raleigh, NC)

2003

Art in Embassies Program of the U.S. Department of State (Lima, Peru)

2002

Virginia Center for the Creative Arts Fellowship Residency (Lynchburg, VA)

Santa Fe Art Institute Artist Residency (Santa Fe, New Mexico)

2001

Art in Embassies Program of the U.S. Department of State (Ankara, Turkey)

1994

NEA Visual Arts Grants Fellowships 1993 (New York, NY)

1993

NEA Visual Arts Grants Fellowships 1993 (Washington, DC)

Art-Omi Residency (Columbia County, NY)

1990

The Bronx Museum of the Arts: Aim Program (Bronx, NY)

1986

National Art Club, Gramercy Park (New York, NY)

Art Students League “Merit Scholarship” (New York, NY)

The Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation “Participant Biennial Competition” (New York, NY)

1985

Art Students League “Painting Fellowship” (New York, NY)