Nails enthusiasts everywhere are flooding social media with the latest trendy design: “Turrell nails.” If you’ve been on Instagram recently, then you’ve likely seen one or two of these sets flittered into your For You page, whether it’s a simple monochromatic variation of the trend or accompanied by other nail art. Still, you may be wondering: what exactly are Turrell nails?
“James Turrell’s work is known for paying homage to light,” painter Demetrius Wilson tells POPSUGAR. “He’s very interested in its material qualities.” Many of Turrell’s installations study the contradiction of light as both an intangible and imposing force. It’s something that you can see and have a visceral reaction to — you can even manipulate it if you wish — but you can’t touch it. As such, Turrell manicures often look similar to aura nails but with moodier palettes — think dark gray base colors with a lighter shade in the middle. If a manicure does fall more on the colorful side of the spectrum, true to Turrell’s practice, the colors will always be complementary.
This isn’t the first time that beauty trends have been influenced by other creative fields, such as art and fashion. Turrell nails come after the rise of “Pucci nails” in 2021, when colorful swirls reminiscent of fashion designer Emilio Pucci’s famous prints decorated hands all over the internet. Another example of beauty imitating art is the resurgence of the color red following the 2023 Pantone Color of the Year pick. It’s since been dubbed the hottest shade of the season, invoking feelings of love, passion, and power. For artists like Wilson, bolder shades like an oxblood can be used as a conduit for viewers of their work to better understand the message that they are trying to convey. For beauty lovers, though their modalities are their makeup, nails, or hairstyles, the message is universally the same. Colors tell a universal story, regardless of the medium in which they are used.
Turrell nails are a masterclass in wearable art. If you’ve been trying to take your manicures to a new level, you can’t go wrong with this style. Still, if you need some inspiration, we went ahead and rounded up the best examples of Turrell nails that we could find to create a mood board for you.
