Presentism is an attempt to focus on a handful of artists from around the world who are working within a long continuum of artists working with light. For many the use of light not only encourages a new temporal reading of the work, where it exists totally in the present moment, but also allows for light’s physical quality to be truly felt. For James Turrell, who is included in the show, such moments are not only rare, but meant to be treasured. “Light is a powerful substance,” he says. “But, for something so powerful, situations for its felt presence are fragile.”