We LOVE Las Vegas! We may not be big gamblers; but the food, shopping, and attractions get us every time. And we must say that finding out there is a James Turrell installation hidden on the fourth floor of North America’s largest Louis Vuitton flagship doesn’t hurt either!

James Turrell is known for his work with light and how it interacts with space. This installation is titled Akhob; a word from Egypt’s Amarna period that means “pure water”, and is the third installation by Turrell to be commissioned by Louis Vuitton. Turrell is said to have wanted visitors to have the effect of being bathed in light. The installation is a ganzfeld effect and is the phenomenon of visual perception that happens when a viewer stares at an unstructured, uniform field of color. It is Turrell’s largest ganzfeld effect to date.

We began our journey at Louis Vuitton by viewing some of the other installations housed there. They too, were pretty cool and reminded us very much of Las Vegas and the scenic desert that it is surrounded by. We don’t want to give too much away, because we believe the lead up to Akhob is equally as important to the installation.

After a quick elevator ride to the fourth floor with our docent Joanna, the doors opened to a dimly lit room where there are two more docents. They were very helpful and accommodating answering questions before and even during the experience. At this point you sign a waiver, but don’t let it intimidate you. The room itself is used to help your eyes adjust to what you are about to experience in Akhob and for us anyway, it relaxed us and separated us from Las Vegas and all that is going on outside.

Once the waiver is signed you are led to the room the installation is in and instructed to remove your shoes and put on slippers. You then ascend a short staircase and are encompassed in a room of white. As the instillation begins the light starts to change and from the very beginning to end we felt a great sense of calm and happiness. It was very much a cleansing experience of light washing over you. The colors vary from soft blues to pink and orange. You are allowed to wander through the two rooms and take it in, but the docent is there to assist you, if need be. What we really enjoyed is the perception of it all. At times the walls seemed far away and then right next to you. And at other moments there was almost a sense of floating, a feeling of being free if you will. The experience of Akhob is different for everyone, which makes it that much more special.

After experiencing the installation, we’ve been awash in clarity. We must say it has had a very positive effect, and for anyone visiting Las Vegas it’s a great way to cleanse from all the crazy fun the city has to offer.

Access is limited to four guests at a time and visits last about 20 to 25 minutes. Visits to Akhob are by appointment only and can be made by calling 702.730.3150 . If you really enjoy Akhob, as we did; be sure to check out Turrell’s installation at the monorail station, where light floods the space creating an otherworldly experience.