Renowned artist Larry Bell's signature glass cube sculptures have taken over Madison Square Park this fall, bringing his distinctive Light and Space movement aesthetic to one of New York City's most beloved public spaces. The installation, titled "Improvisations in the Park," features Bell's austere yet luminous glass works that interact dynamically with their urban environment through fall 2026.
Running concurrent with the park exhibition is a smaller but significant show at the Judd Foundation in Soho, where Flavin Judd has organized a display of Bell's lesser-known canvas works. The foundation exhibition, "Larry Bell: Irresponsible Iridescence," showcases pieces that employ the same chemical processes as Bell's famous sculptures but in a two-dimensional format, offering visitors a deeper understanding of the artist's technical mastery.
Bell's glass sculptures embody what critics describe as a politically conservative, even corporate aesthetic that glows with an undeniable elegance designed to complement oversized, minimal spaces. These works represent the industrial flowering of post-World War II America, capturing the optimism of an ascendant American empire through their expansive, landscape-infused compositions. One of the major works on display in the park, "Fourth of July in Venice Fog" (2018), explicitly references this patriotic sentiment.
The outdoor installation creates a unique dialogue between art and nature, with the reflective glass cubes collecting autumn leaves within their transparent chambers while providing park visitors a contemplative respite from the daily urban grind. Meanwhile, the canvas works at the Judd Foundation refract the vibrant life of Soho beyond their protective vitrines, creating an entirely different but equally compelling viewing experience.
During the press preview, Bell revealed to reporters that he never originally considered these pieces suitable for outdoor display. The artist explained that each component relates directly to his physical body - whether measured by the span of his arms or the height he could jump. This bodily connection makes the works uniquely personal compared to other Light and Space movement pieces, transforming them into mirrors that reflect both our corporeal realities and our relationships with one another.
These installations carry a distinctly nostalgic quality, feeling like vestiges from another era while simultaneously drawing viewers in with an authenticity that invites meditation on bygone aesthetics and their relevance to contemporary life. Like many artists represented by Hauser & Wirth, Bell demonstrates interest in both monetary success and artistic legacy alongside pure conceptual exploration - concerns that feel particularly relevant for artists who have worked in relative isolation for decades.
The Madison Square Park exhibition features several notable works including "Blues from Aspen" (2018), "Frankly Purple" (2022), "Pacific Red II" (2017), and "Red Eyes" (2025). These pieces demonstrate Bell's mastery of light manipulation and his ability to create objects that seem to glow from within while maintaining their industrial precision.
"Improvisations in the Park" will remain on view in Madison Square Park, located between 23rd and 26th Streets and Madison and Fifth Avenues in Manhattan, through March 15, 2026. The exhibition was initially curated by Brooke Kamin Rapaport and organized by Denise Markonish, Tom Reidy, and Tiera Ndlovu. "Larry Bell: Irresponsible Iridescence" continues at the Judd Foundation at 101 Spring Street in Soho through January 31, 2026, offering art enthusiasts an extended opportunity to experience Bell's work across multiple mediums and environments.
