Dan Flavin's exploration into "Corridors and Barriers" represents a profound period in his career, where his artistic endeavors transcended traditional sculpture and painting, delving into the realms of architectural intervention and the phenomenology of space. Between the late 1960s and early 1970s, Flavin's work emphasized the creation of "situations" of light and color, utilizing commercially available fluorescent lamps to redefine and establish space. His innovative installations were not just about the light or the fluorescent tubes themselves but about how these elements interacted with and transformed the surrounding architecture and viewer's perception of space.

The "Corners, Barriers and Corridors" exhibition at David Zwirner in 2015 highlighted these aspects of Flavin's work, showcasing significant installations from this period. This show served as an examination of how Flavin's use of fluorescent light constructions—in formats fundamental to his practice—explicitly implicated their surrounding architecture while physically mediating the viewers’ experience of space. Notable works included a two-part "barrier" dedicated to his wife, which altered space with colored light, and a rare "barrier" that rendered an empty room inaccessible, emphasizing the physical modification of the viewer's experience of the room​ (David Zwirner)​​ (David Zwirner)​.

At the Chinati Foundation in Marfa, Texas, Flavin's "untitled (Marfa project)" further exemplifies his intricate play with light and space within the unique U-shaped barracks. This installation, characterized by its use of four colors distributed throughout six buildings, employed a strategic placement of lamps to accentuate the asymmetrical and symmetrical layouts of the buildings, creating a complex visual effect. The "endbarriers" and "centerbarriers" in these corridors showcase Flavin's acute awareness of the architectural form, turning the corridors themselves into significant components of the installation​ (Chinati Foundation)​.

Flavin's transition from drawings and paintings to works centered around fluorescent light was marked by a desire to explore the properties of electric light in atmospheric and spatial contexts. His work with fluorescent tubes, characterized by a limited palette and uniform sizes, became foundational in creating immersive environments that engage with color, light, and space. Flavin’s pieces, often untitled but dedicated to individuals, carry a personal or referential element, adding depth to the purely visual and spatial aspects of his installations​ (DailyArt Magazine)​.

Through his "barred corridors" and other installations, Flavin demonstrated a keen understanding of how art interacts with and transforms space. His work, particularly from the 1970s and 1980s, used the vocabulary of "corners," "barriers," and "corridors" to reconceptualize sculpture in relation to space, controlling the viewer's movement and experience within the architectural environment​ (DailyArt Magazine)​.