Giant Psycho Tank 1999

Carsten Holler invites us to reflect on artmaking and experience with Giant Psycho Tank. It’s all cool tones, white, light blue, and gray, which might make you feel relaxed. Or is it clinical? When you look at it, consider the physical experience. It isn’t just about seeing; it's about imagining the feeling of floating. The tank itself is very geometric and hard-edged, but this contrasts with the organic shape of the human body suspended inside. Where are they? Heaven, hell, or somewhere in between? Holler uses this tension to explore how our bodies perceive space. In this work, I can see references to artists like James Turrell, who is interested in perception and light. Art is a conversation across time. What I like about this piece is the way it embraces uncertainty. It refuses to give you a single, neat answer.