Renowned artist Larry Bell continues to captivate audiences with his groundbreaking work in the Light and Space movement after nearly seven decades of artistic creation. The 85-year-old master welcomes visitors to his Taos, New Mexico studio with a simple invitation: "Have a good time." His latest works, including the upcoming public installation "Improvisations in the Park" at Manhattan's Madison Square Park, showcase his continued innovation with light, glass, and geometric forms.

Bell's studio space reveals the breadth of his artistic exploration. Suspended from the ceiling, his Light Knot works create mesmerizing displays as thin sheets of polyester coated with aluminum and silicon monoxide rotate slowly in air currents, causing light to dance rapidly across their surfaces. The two-story industrial warehouse also houses his famous glass cubes, bronze figurative sculptures created in collaboration with architect Frank Gehry, and collages made from flattened layers of the same materials used in his Light Knot series.

The artist's creative philosophy centers on improvisation, intuition, and trust. "Improbable is his favorite condition with which to engage," Bell explains, describing how spontaneity guides his artistic decisions. This approach has made him a major influence on artists worldwide and established his reputation as a pioneer in exploring how light interacts with various materials and surfaces.

Bell's upcoming exhibitions demonstrate his continued relevance in the contemporary art world. In late September, the Madison Square Park Conservancy will unveil "Improvisations in the Park," featuring six large-scale pieces that represent his largest public art project to date. Simultaneously, his work will be displayed in solo exhibitions at prestigious venues including the Judd Foundation in New York City, the San Antonio Museum of Art, and Richard Levy Gallery in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Reflecting on his artistic foundation, Bell traces his fascination with right angles to both environmental influences and personal experiences. "All of my work has something to do with right angles," he explains, noting how these geometric forms dominate our visual environment. His childhood experience of being deaf and frequently punished by standing in corners developed into an artistic fascination that continues to inform his work today.

Bell's relationship with glass began serendipitously during his late teens when he worked at a picture-framing shop in Los Angeles. Learning to cut glass opened his eyes to the material's unique properties. "Glass reflects light, it transmits light, and it absorbs light, all at the same time," he observes. This discovery of glass as an "improbable and mysterious medium" set him on a path distinct from the Abstract Expressionist movements dominating the art world at the time.

The artist's technical innovations involve sophisticated coating processes that create color through light interference rather than pigmentation. He applies various films of aluminum, silicon monoxide, and other materials to glass surfaces, creating gradients and interference patterns similar to the rainbow colors seen in gasoline puddles. The thickness of these coatings determines the color by trapping light at specific wavelengths, producing his signature iridescent effects.

Bell's role in the Light and Space movement emerged organically from his relationships with fellow artists like Ken Price, Billy Al Bengston, and Robert Irwin. "I only hoped to be part of something important," he recalls, emphasizing how the group's mutual respect and shared commitment to originality fostered their collective influence. The unwritten rule among these artists was simple: "nobody could copy anybody else."

Despite his mentor status, Bell resists formal teaching roles, preferring to focus on his own artistic development. "I don't want to be a mentor. I just want to do my thing," he states candidly. His approach to art treats each work as a teacher, providing lessons that inform the next creative step rather than serving as mere objects for display.

The artist's recent exploration of two-dimensional collage work, featured in the exhibition "Irresponsible Iridescence" at the Judd Foundation, represents his ongoing experimentation. These pieces incorporate various materials including gessoed canvas and metallized laminated film, creating surfaces whose textures intrigue even Bell himself. "I was chasing the surface, trying to figure out why it did what it did," he admits, acknowledging that some aspects of his process remain mysterious even after decades of practice.

Bell's evaporation coating technique involves heating metals until they transform from liquid to gas, with electrons driving molecules until they collide with surfaces. This crystalline structure gives his works their distinctive optical characteristics, creating ever-changing visual experiences as viewers move around the pieces and lighting conditions shift.

After 66 years of daily studio practice, Bell remains as committed as ever to his artistic exploration. "The performance of the materials that I work with engages my curiosity in such a way that I keep wanting to do more," he explains. His addiction to the creative process and trust in his instincts continue to drive innovations that influence new generations of artists working with light, space, and perception.