Dan Flavin: Grids

In 1963, Dan Flavin did something simple yet revolutionary: he took a single gold fluorescent lamp and installed it diagonally on a wall. This moment launched a career dedicated to using everyday, store-bought lights to create what he liked to call "situations." Instead of just making objects to look at, Flavin used light and color to completely transform the rooms they inhabit.

Flavin’s work ranges from small pieces tucked into corners to massive installations that fill entire hallways. No matter the size, his art always plays with the building it’s in, showing his lifelong fascination with architecture and how we experience the space around us.

Born in Queens, Flavin’s path to becoming an artist was a unique journey. He discovered his love for art while serving in the Air Force in the 1950s. Later, while studying art history at Columbia University, he worked behind the scenes as a mailroom clerk at the Guggenheim and a security guard at MoMA—gaining a personal perspective on the art world before stepping into the spotlight with his own light-filled vision.