A major new presentation by Doug Aitken is set to take over The Shed in New York, where the artist’s large-scale multimedia work Lightscape will run from June 25 through September 13. Occupying a 12,000-square-foot gallery space, the installation expands beyond traditional filmmaking to create an immersive environment that merges moving image, architecture, sound, and live performance.
Positioned as one of Aitken’s most ambitious projects to date, Lightscape unfolds across seven interconnected screens, creating a continuously evolving narrative landscape. Rather than presenting a linear story, the work explores themes of identity, transformation, and human connection through a layered visual and sonic experience.
A Cinematic Portrait of Contemporary America
Set against the backdrop of Southern California, Lightscape navigates diverse environments that range from remote deserts and mountain terrain to technologically driven urban and industrial spaces. Consequently, the installation presents a shifting portrait of contemporary American life, examining how individuals navigate an era shaped by rapid social, technological, and environmental change.
The work features performances by figures such as Beck and Natasha Lyonne, whose appearances contribute to the project’s exploration of personal journeys through fragmented, constantly changing landscapes.
Throughout the installation, Aitken combines cinematic imagery with spatial design, encouraging audiences to move through the environment rather than passively observe it. As a result, the boundaries between film, exhibition, and performance become increasingly fluid.
Music, Performance, and Spatial Experience
Music plays a central role in the project’s structure. Developed through a collaboration with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Los Angeles Master Chorale, Lightscape incorporates original compositions by notable artists and composers, including Philip Glass, Steve Reich, Meredith Monk, Beck, and Aitken himself.
The soundtrack shifts between atmospheric vocal passages, experimental compositions, and more intense musical sequences, creating an evolving auditory landscape that mirrors the visual narrative. Furthermore, a programme of live performances will activate the installation throughout its New York run, extending the project beyond the gallery format and reinforcing its identity as a living, changing work.
Alex Poots, Artistic Director of The Shed, described the project as a reflection on contemporary society, noting its engagement with questions of identity, place, and collective experience during a period of significant transformation.
By combining large-scale moving-image installation, architecture, and live music, Lightscape continues Aitken’s long-standing investigation into how art can reshape perceptions of space and human experience. The exhibition will remain on view at The Shed through September 13, offering visitors an immersive encounter with one of contemporary art’s most interdisciplinary practices.