Who is this “James Turrell” referenced in Drake’s new ‘Hotline Bling’ video?

Drake’s ‘Hotline Bling’ video has caused much of a stir this week, not just because it was a highly-anticipated release; paired with Drake’s awkward dance moves, the minimalist video is a visual treat of vibrant, glowing, minimalist light rooms and set ups where backlight creates emphasis on shadowy dancing figures.

The concept, of course, has been widely attributed to the surreal works of American artist James Turrell. Noisey noted that the rapper had posted a series of photos in which he posed with Turrell’s light installations at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art back in January 2014. At that time, he also revealed an affinity for the artist’s work, telling Rolling Stone, “He was a big influence on the visuals for my last tour.”  

Renowned for his minimalist work that plays with the concept of light and space, Turrell’s hypnotic works is said to have been fed by the artist’s training in perceptual psychology and his childhood fascination with light. For over 50 years, Turrell has continued to engage viewers with his artworks, challenging them with the limits and awe of human perception. “I make spaces that apprehend light for our perception, and in some ways gather it, or seem to hold it… my work is more about your seeing than it iss about my seeing, although it is a product of my seeing,” Turrell says in his official website.

Turrell has since issued a statement saying, “neither I nor any of my works were involved in any way in the making of the ‘Hotline Bling’ video,” but many have pointed out that Drake’s imitation may just have bridged a gap between popular music and art geeks. Check out more of Turrell’s awe-inspiring works here, and on Artsy’s James Turrell page.