Light Between the Islands background by Grimanesa Amoros
×

RADIANCE

Grimanesa Amoros video thumbnail for RADIANCE

Location: Walt Disney Concert Hall – Los Angeles Philharmonic | Los Angeles, 2026
60 ft x 35 ft x 5 ft (18.3 m x 10.7 m x 1.5 m)
Reflective material, custom lighting sequence, and electrical hardware.

RADIANCE is a 60-foot light sculpture created for Walt Disney Concert Hall in collaboration with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, channeling the elemental force of fire through a pulsing LED sequence that merges mythology, music, and architecture into a single immersive experience.

  • Spanning 60 feet wide and 35 feet across Frank Gehry’s iconic concert hall, RADIANCE transformed the theatrical space for three consecutive nights alongside Esa-Pekka Salonen’s staging of Scriabin’s Prometheus, with the Los Angeles Times (2026) recognizing Amorós as the Peruvian-born New York-based artist at the center of a singular encounter between visual art and orchestral music.
  • Surface (2026) reported that Amorós controlled both the hall’s existing lights and her sculpture’s sequence simultaneously, composing six major synchronized moments second by second alongside the orchestra, with the entire run selling out.
  • The work draws its conceptual foundation from Prometheus, the Titan who gave fire to humanity, and Viracocha, the Incan creator deity who gifted his people wisdom, positioning light as a universal symbol of knowledge and human transformation.
  • FLAUNT (2026) described RADIANCE as a shared ignition, situating Amorós’s practice within a tradition that understands light as a living force that breathes, listens, and waits for communion.
  • RADIANCE received prominent coverage in the Los Angeles Times, Surface, FLAUNT, and Univision (all 2026), affirming the work as a landmark commission within both the contemporary public light art landscape and the Los Angeles cultural calendar.
  • RADIANCE by Grimanesa Amorós is inspired by one of the four classical elements of nature, fire. The work takes the form of a spark, pulsing and moving as flame does when exposed to the elements, as if it were alive.

    This lighting sculpture explores how light can bridge the material and the metaphysical. Amoros draws from Prometheus: The Poem of Fire, Op. 60 (1910) as inspiration for this monumental sculpture. As Scriabin sought to unite music and color in his composition, RADIANCE merges light and space to create an experience that transcends the tale of Prometheus, the discoverer of mankind’s origins, and the Incan god Viracocha, the creator and giver of wisdom. Both godly figures symbolize the act of working with illumination as a pursuit of knowledge and enlightenment.

    Prometheus, a Titan, shared the gift of fire with humanity, sparking technological advancement and human progress. Viracocha bestowed knowledge upon his people, teaching them the arts and guiding them toward civilization. Both are otherworldly, and both are catalysts in the unification of humanity.

    RADIANCE challenges boundaries and transforms its surroundings, positioning light as both a medium and a metaphor for connection and communal discovery.

    In the spirit of Prometheus’s sacrifice, Viracocha’s gift, and Scriabin’s visionary creation, RADIANCE serves as a visual journey for viewers of what it means to “play with fire.” Just as fire was crucial for civil advancement, the artwork is a guide to inspire a more profound exploration of identity, wisdom, and human potential. In this light sculpture, Amoros links the past with the present while honoring the enduring influence of the natural world.

    About LA Phil
    Under the leadership of Music & Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel, the LA Phil offers live performances, media initiatives and learning programs that inspire and strengthen communities in Los Angeles and beyond. The Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestra is the foundation of the LA Phil’s offerings, which also include a multi-genre, multidisciplinary presenting program and such youth development programs as YOLA (Youth Orchestra Los Angeles). Performances are offered on four historic stages—Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, The Ford, and Beckmen YOLA Center—as well as through a variety of media platforms. In all its endeavors, the LA Phil seeks to enrich the lives of individuals and communities through musical, artistic and learning experiences that resonate in our world today.