Step Into the Light

IN 1973, BRITISH artist Anthony McCall opened new possibilities for the world of sculpture with his interactive installation Line Describing a Cone. In this work, a projector at one end of the room beams light through an ethereal haze, materializing as a bright white circle on the wall. From there, it’s the viewer’s job to activate the work by stepping into the light.

This spring, Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center presents McCall’s work in collaboration with Tate Modern in Anthony McCall: Solid Light, marking the North American debut of the exhibition. Oklahoma Contemporary’s executive director Trent Riley says this landmark exhibition affirms that Oklahoma is part of the global conversation in contemporary art.

“For our community, this is an opportunity to encounter a world-class experience right here at home,” Riley says. “One that will spark curiosity, invite exploration, and inspire new ways of thinking about the connections between art, science, and design.”

In addition to the artist’s solid light installations, the exhibition features rare archival materials, including photographs and early performance films. These materials provide a comprehensive look at McCall’s practice and his history with light, film, movement, and installation. McCall also created films of visitors interacting with his solid light sculptures, combining his interests in film as a medium, a vehicle, and a tool for art.

In 2004, he said of his solid light sculpture: “To fully see the emerging form, it is necessary to move around and through it, to look at it from the inside and the outside.”

Anthony McCall: Solid Light will be on view at Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center’s Eleanor Kirkpatrick Main Gallery, March 13–July 27, 2026.