“This minimalist installation of two glowing light bulbs by Félix González-Torres offers a poignant reflection on love, loss, and the quiet beauty found in everyday objects, inviting personal interpretation.”
Hanging simply from the ceiling, two bare light bulbs glow, their cords extending down to porcelain sockets. This installation, titled "Untitled" (March 5th) #2, invites a quiet contemplation of everyday objects. The work's simplicity belies a profound emotional depth, often interpreted as a tender meditation on partnership and loss. The paired lights can evoke a sense of presence, a shared space, or perhaps the memory of one. Created in 1991, during the height of the AIDS epidemic, the work resonates with themes of fragility, the passage of time, and the enduring power of love in the face of impermanence. The artist, Félix González-Torres, frequently used ordinary materials like light bulbs, paper stacks, and candies to create installations that are both formally minimalist and deeply personal, allowing viewers to bring their own experiences to the art.
- Artist
- Félix González-Torres
- Date
- 1991
- Medium
- Two light bulbs, porcelain light sockets, and extension cords
- Location
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Dimensions
- Dimensions vary with installation; edition number thirteen of twenty, with two artist's proofs
- Collection
- Contemporary Art
- Culture
- United States
- Credit line
- Gift of Judith Neisser
What to Notice
Three details hide in plain sight. Here’s where to look.

The two light bulbs hang at slightly different heights, creating a subtle asymmetry.
Observe the simple porcelain sockets and the coiled black extension cords.
Notice how the ambient light in the room interacts with the glow of the bulbs.
Stand in front of it and listen
The full narration walks you through "Untitled" (March 5th) #2 — the story behind it, the details most visitors miss, and why it matters. Free in the Art Whisper app.
Félix González-Torres
1957–1996 · CubaFélix González-Torres transformed everyday objects like light bulbs and wrapped candies into profound meditations on love, loss, and public engagement.
Further Works by González-Torres
Gonzalez and Shadow
1972 · Art Institute of Chicago
"Untitled" (Bloodwork—Steady Decline)
1993 · Art Institute of Chicago
Extemporaneous
Art Institute of Chicago
Portrait of Edmond de Goncourt
Art Institute of Chicago
"Untitled" (Paris)
1988 · Art Institute of Chicago
"Untitled"
1989 · Art Institute of Chicago
"Untitled" (Silver Beach)
1990 · Art Institute of Chicago
"Untitled" (t-cell count)
1990 · Art Institute of Chicago
More works to explore
Beyond González-Torres: works from the same years.
Same era · 1970s–2000s
Unfinished painting
Keith Haring · 1989
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Pat Hearn
Andy Warhol · 1985 · Art Institute of Chicago
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Kiki (Smith)
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Near the Lagoon
Jasper Johns · 2002 · Art Institute of Chicago
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Wu Street
Xu Bing · 1993 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1970s–2000s
Cremaster 5: The Queen of Chain
Matthew Barney · 1997 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1970s–2000s
American Horizon
Jane Wooster Scott · 2000 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1970s–2000s
It's a New Age
William Hook · 1992 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1970s–2000s
Krach
Philip West · 1987 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1970s–2000s
Cremaster 2: Deseret
Birgit Cullberg · 1999 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1970s–2000s
Thistles
Michele Elizabeth Field · 2004 · Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Same era · 1970s–2000s
Blood Pool
Kiki Smith · 1992 · Art Institute of Chicago
