Anthony McCall

Anthony McCall is a British-born artist who has been a significant figure in avant-garde and experimental film since the 1970s. His work bridges the gap between cinema, sculpture, and installation art, challenging traditional notions of film and spectatorship. McCall’s artistic practice is characterized by his exploration of the materiality of light and the sculptural qualities of projected images. He is perhaps best known for his « solid light » installations, which transform projected light into three-dimensional forms within haze-filled spaces. McCall’s work has been exhibited in major museums and galleries worldwide, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Tate Modern in London, cementing his position as a pioneering figure in expanded cinema and light art.

Line Describing a Cone (1973) is widely considered McCall’s seminal work and a landmark piece in the history of experimental film and installation art. This work consists of a projected film that slowly traces a white line to form a complete circle over the course of 30 minutes. As the line is projected through a haze-filled room, it creates a conical form of light that appears solid and sculptural. Viewers are invited to move around and through the cone, becoming active participants in the work rather than passive observers. Line Describing a Cone exemplifies McCall’s interest in the phenomenological experience of cinema and his ability to transform the ephemeral quality of light into a tangible, interactive form. This piece has been widely influential, inspiring subsequent generations of artists to explore the spatial and sculptural possibilities of projected light.