The David Zwirner Gallery in Chelsea is currently exhibiting the fluorescent light sculptures of late artist Dan Flavin. The gallery, which represents Flavin’s estate, held the opening reception for the exhibition, entitled “Corners, Barriers & Corridors,” on Thursday night.

The exhibition features minimalist geometric structures constructed from lit fluorescent light bulbs of various shapes, sizes and colors. While all art displayed was created during the late sixties or early seventies, most of the people at the opening night were born well after this era. Although the artwork is not contemporary, its vibrancy attracted a young, animated crowd that sustained a lively atmosphere with its hum of conversation.

Flavin, who displayed his first barrier in 1966, incorporated the conceptual artistic structure to block access to one side of a specific space. Presently, this concept is featured at the gallery, obstructing an entire room with vertical panels of white light.

The exhibit is as much a showcase of the sculptures as it is of the space in which they’re displayed. The artwork has been strategically placed so that nearly all of the white wall space is illuminated by colored light. The aptly named exhibition sheds light on the corners, barriers and corridors of the room itself.

Flavin’s nephew Greg MacGarva saw for the first time the piece, “Untitled (to Barry, Mike, Chuck and Leonard)” — a series of vertical lights situated in a tunnel which appear to be different colors depending on the side from which they are viewed.

MacGarva spoke highly of Flavin’s ingenuity at fashioning artwork from commonplace materials as light strips.

“It’s an optical illusion of light, a whole different set of gray cells than I inherited,” MacGarva said. “It’s beautiful to see.”  

Dan Flavin’s work will be on display at 537 W 20th St. until Oct. 24.

Email Abigail Weinberg at [email protected].