Grimanesa Amorós

Grimanesa Amorós
Grimanesa Amorós Uros Island, Venice Biennial 2011
Born
Grimanesa Amorós

1962 (age 63–64)[1]
Lima, Peru[1]
Known forInstallation art, Light art, Female sculptor
Notable workAmplexus (2022)
Pink Lotus (2015)
Uros House (2011)
AwardsNational Endowment for the Arts Visual Artists Fellowship Grant and the Art in Embassies Program
Websitewww.grimanesaamoros.com

Grimanesa Amorós (/ˈɡrɪmənɛsəəmˈɔːroʊs/ gri-mah-NEH-sah-ah-moh-ROHS; born 1962 in Lima, Peru) is a Peruvian-born American multimedia artist known for her work with light and technology.[2] She creates large-scale sculptures that explore themes of cultural heritage, community, and the intersection of technology and art. After a trip to Iceland,[3] her work began to incorporate lighting technology as a medium to enhance conceptual depth rather than defining it.[4]

Amorós's installations have been exhibited internationally at venues including the Ludwig Museum in Cologne, Germany[5] and the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Shanghai, China.[6] Notable projects include Uros House at Times Square in New York City and Golden Waters at the Scottsdale Waterfront in Arizona.

In addition to her artistic practice, Amorós has lectured at institutions such as the NYU Stern School of Business,[7] Brown University,[8] and events including TEDGlobal[9] and UBS x Art Basel[10] in Hong Kong. Her art draws inspiration from cultural legacies, natural landscapes, and societal themes such as mental health, aiming to create immersive experiences that connect viewers, spaces, and communities.[3]

Early life and career

Grimanesa Amorós was born in Lima, Peru[11] in 1962.[11] Her father was a civil engineer,[12][13] and her mother was a creative.[12] While Amorós often observed her mother at work,[12] both of her parents profoundly influenced her future artistic practice.[12]

At the age of 11, Amorós developed a fascination with maps,[3] which her mother recognized as a sign of her creative inclinations.[3] In response, she enrolled Amorós in painting classes, nurturing her budding artistic interests.[3]

Amorós pursued higher education in psychology, studying full-time at university.[14] However, she left the program three months before graduating to follow a different path.[3]

In 1984, Amorós relocated to New York City,[3] where she began studying at The Art Students League of New York, where she studied from 1984 to 1988.[15]

Notable installations

Amorós’s light-based installations often explore cultural identity, urban landscapes, and the relationship between technology and the human experience. Her work frequently incorporates LED lights, diffusion materials, and programmed lighting sequences tailored to each site.

In 2011, she created Uros House as a site-specific installation for the Times Square Alliance’s Public Art Program in New York City, coinciding with The Armory Show.[16] Inspired by the housing structures of the Uros of Lake Titicaca in Peru, the piece used light-diffusing materials and animated lighting to reflect on themes of tradition and adaptability in urban space.[17]

Pink Lotus, unveiled in 2015, was a public art installation commissioned for The Peninsula New York as part of the hotel’s “Art of Pink” initiative supporting Breast Cancer Awareness Month.[18] It was inspired by the lotus flower, a symbol of purity and rebirth, and supported Breast Cancer Awareness Month by placing this installation on the hotel's facade.[19]

That same year, Golden Waters was installed above the Arizona Canal in Scottsdale, Arizona. Drawing inspiration from the irrigation systems of the Hohokam people, the piece consisted of illuminated tubing suspended above the water and was positioned near architect Paolo Soleri’s Soleri Bridge.[20]

In 2021, she completed Golden Array, a large-scale installation commissioned by the Reliance Group for the Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai, India.[21] Inspired by the telephone wires above the Mumbai skyline, the work explored the concept of human connectivity through expansive light structures.[22]

In 2022, Amorós presented Amplexus at Noor Riyadh, a citywide light and art festival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.[23][24] The work’s title, derived from the Latin for “embrace,” reflected on themes of connection and urban identity using reflective materials and responsive lighting patterns.[25]

In September 2025, Amorós created two light installations for The Peninsula Istanbul. Maritime, located in the lobby of the hotel, takes inspiration from the Bosphorus and the city's maritime history. The second light installation, Passage, is located on the hotel's clock tower and is inspired by the Çinili Han, a passenger hall where travelers awaited transit.[26] Both installations were commissioned as part of The Peninsula’s “Art in Resonance” program and were presented in conjunction with the Contemporary Istanbul art fair.[27]

In January 2026, she created a site-specific light installation, Radiance, for the Los Angeles Philharmonic at Walt Disney Concert Hall, presented in conjunction with performances of Alexander Scriabin’s Prometheus: Poem of Fire, conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen.[28] Later that month, Amorós partnered with the French department store Printemps to produce a large-scale installation at its New York City flagship at One Wall Street, transforming the storefront and interior spaces with her installation Perfect Timing.[29]

Collaborations

In 2006, Amorós collaborated with Grammy-winning José Luis Pardo of Los Amigos Invisibles for the score of Reflexión Obscura.[30] In 2010, she worked with Meshell Ndegeocello[31] on her exhibition La Incubadora. She also partnered with fashion designer Manuel Fernandez for his Fashion Art show, creating a dress titled Precious Nipples.[32]

In her video Rootless Algas, she worked with Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson, who composed an original score.[33] In 2013, Amorós collaborated with Ivri Lider of The Young Professionals on the soundtrack for her video Miranda, which premiered with her light sculpture Light Between the Islands in Tel Aviv, Israel.[34][35]

In 2014, she partnered with Akiko Elizabeth Maie, the latest label from Nepenthes AMERICA INC., to present Onkochishin 2014.[36] Amorós later collaborated with Cindy Chao during the Biennale des Antiquaires at the Grand Palais in Paris, France, creating the lighting sculpture Timeless Motion (In Life and Light).[37]

In 2016, Amorós collaborated with Moët Hennessy for an event celebrating its Paradis Impérial cognac during Art Basel Miami Beach. She created a sculptural light installation titled Lotus, unveiled at the penthouse of The Miami Beach EDITION. The work referenced the symbolic meaning of the lotus flower and continued her exploration of light and perception.[38]

In 2022, Amorós collaborated with actor and musician Maya Hawke on a cover story for As If Magazine (Issue 21), photographed by editor-in-chief Tatijana Shoan.[39] Amorós created a light-based installation as the backdrop for the photoshoot, incorporating her signature LED forms and programmed lighting sequences.[40]

Awards and grants

References

  1. ^ a b Puerto, Cecilia (1996). Latin American Women Artists, Kahlo and Look who else: A Selective, Annotated Bibliography. Bloomsbury Academic. ISBN 9780313289347.
  2. ^ "BBC - Grimanesa Amorós: Bridging cultures with light".
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "arc Magazine's interview with Grimanesa Amoros".
  4. ^ "Grimanesa Amoros Biography on her official website".
  5. ^ "A Women's Thing, Artist Grimanesa Amorós Builds Sculptures of Light with Technology". 21 April 2021.
  6. ^ "Peruvian Artist Grimanesa Amoros Talked About Her Art Career During Her World Tour at CAFA".
  7. ^ "Video of Grimanesa Amoros lecturing at NYU Stern School of Business".
  8. ^ "Arte Realizzata, Grimanesa Amoros presenting at the Light in Art and Architecture Symposium at Brown University".
  9. ^ "A recap of session 5 at TEDGlobal 2014". 8 October 2014.
  10. ^ "Video of Grimanesa Amoros and Dr. Qilan Shen at the Open Classroom - Artist in Focus at UBS x Art Basel".
  11. ^ a b Grimanesa Amorós Interview by "Asia Sur - Edición Nº 116", Revista Asia Sur, 7 June 2012, retrieved July 27, 2015
  12. ^ a b c d "A Fascinating Conversation with Grimanesa Amoros".
  13. ^ "Jez Magazine, The Illuminator, page 108". 20 November 2024.
  14. ^ "Art Pulse, Grimanesa Amorós - Interview".
  15. ^ "Brooklyn Museum Grimanesa Amorós Profile".
  16. ^ "Times Square Official Website, The Times Square Armory Show".
  17. ^ "Arte al Dia, Lighting Sculpture Installation by Grimanesa Amorós in the Time Square Alliance's Public Art Program/Armory Show".
  18. ^ "New York Real Estate Journal, The Peninsula New York presents Amorós' Pink Lotus in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month".
  19. ^ "ARTFIXdaily, PINK LOTUS: Grimanesa Amorós Creates New, Large-Scale Light Sculpture In Partnership with The Peninsula New York's "The Art of Pink"".
  20. ^ "Phoenix New Times, Grimanesa Amorós Sculpture Lights Up Scottsdale Waterfront This Summer".
  21. ^ "Youandimag You & I Monthly Magazine dated Sun, 2 Jan 22".
  22. ^ "Youandimag You & I Monthly Magazine dated Sun, 2 Jan 22".
  23. ^ "Harper's Bazaar Arabia, احتفال نور الرياض 2022 نبض من النور يملأ سماء عاصمة الفنون".
  24. ^ "BBC, Grimanesa Amorós: Bridging cultures with light".
  25. ^ "BBC, Grimanesa Amorós: Bridging cultures with light".
  26. ^ "Passage Project Page by Grimanesa Amorós".
  27. ^ "The Peninsula Istanbul Glows With Radiant Light Installations This Autumn".
  28. ^ Barone, Joshua (January 21, 2026). "Esa-Pekka Salonen and the L.A. Phil Revisit Scriabin's 'Prometheus'". The New York Times. Retrieved January 28, 2026.
  29. ^ "Una artista peruana lleva el pulso de Nueva York a los escaparates de Printemps". ABC Cultura (in Spanish). January 23, 2026. Retrieved January 28, 2026.
  30. ^ "REFLEXION OBSCURA di Grimanesa Amoros". YouTube. 26 May 2010.
  31. ^ "Slow Ghost, Grimanesa Amorós Has Something to Say About Hope". 4 November 2024.
  32. ^ "Exploring Light and Essence: The Luminescence of Grimanesa Amorós". 24 July 2023.
  33. ^ Grimanesa Amorós, "Between Heaven Heaven and Earth" and Afrodiaspora CD album Grimanesa Amorós Afrodiaspora page Archived 2011-10-07 at the Wayback Machine
  34. ^ Farver, Jane, (2013), "Grimanesa Amorós’ Light between the Islands" Archived 2018-03-04 at the Wayback Machine, Litvak Gallery
  35. ^ Momentum: Women/Art/Technology: An exploration into the intersection of technology, art practice, and feminism. Retrieved from https://doi.org/doi:10.7282/t3-hjr1-4k84
  36. ^ "Grimanesa Amorós and Akiko Elizabeth Maie: Onkochishin 2014". Musée Magazine. 14 February 2014. Archived from the original on 2015-03-24. Retrieved 2020-08-29.
  37. ^ "Timeless Motion, La Nueva Instalación de Grimanesa Amorós". 12 September 2016.
  38. ^ "LOTUS for Moët Hennessy Paradis Imperial".
  39. ^ "Maya Hawke x Grimanesa Amorós on the cover of AS IF".
  40. ^ "Maya Hawke x Grimanesa Amorós on the cover of AS IF".
  41. ^ "Choose Creativity Award Winners".
  42. ^ "New York City Public Design Commission 41st Annual Award Winners".
  43. ^ "Harper's Bazaar Arabia - Culture Summit Abu Dhabi". 10 April 2018.
  44. ^ a b "Art in Embassies Grimanesa Amoros profile".
  45. ^ "ARTspace Past Artists in Residence". 21 July 2021.
  46. ^ "ART/OMI Past Fellows".
  47. ^ "Bronx Museum of the Arts Past Fellows".
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