LANDFORM LANDFORM
//perceptions and correlations between man and his environment//
L A N D F O R M // noun.
a natural feature of the earth’s surface
L A N D A R T // noun.
earthworks, or earth art is an art movement in which landscape and the work of art are inextricably linked
// T H E
P U R P O S E //
The purpose of this xref trip is to explore the relationship one as an individual may have with his/her environment. Doubtless, where we live and who we know shape the way in which we see the world, however, it is my intent to see how we as individuals might impact our surroundings. With this xref trip I propose to take a road trip across much of the South Western states in order to explore different places and seek the artworks that were inspired by their surroundings.
// T H E
D E S T I N A T I O N //
// W A T T S, C A //
Location // Watts, CA A 2.12 square-mile neighborhood of Los Angeles is most easily recognized by the Watts riots of 1965. The riots occurred as a culmination of social dejection and unrest by the working class black community over discriminatory treatment by the police, the riots serve as a memory of an issue that is still prevalent in this day and age. Within this turbulent neighborhood, Simon Rodia (1879-1965) quietly worked in his backyard, assembling what are now known as the Watts Towers. The Watts Towers are a collection of 17 sculptural structures that Rodia built with steel rebar, concrete, porcelain tile and found objects over a period of 33 years. The tallest of the towers reaches a height of over 99’. Rodia called his towers “Nuestro Pueblo” (“Our Town”) and was often aided by neighborhood kids who would bring him pieces of tile and glass bottles. When the towers were set to be demolished by the City of Los Angeles, due to safety concerns, several people within the community fought to preserve the Watts Towers and succeeded in declaring them a national historic landmark.
// W A T T S T O W E R S // ARTIST: SIMON RODIA LOCATION: WATTS, CA MATERIALS: STEEL REBAR, CONCRETE, WIRE MESH, PORCELAIN, GLASS AND FOUND OBJECTS
// S L A B C I T Y, C A //
Location // Slab City A forgotten place, with no electricity, running water, sewers, toilets or trash pick up becomes a destination for human migration. People from throughout the United States travel to Slab City to take refuge from the city before migrating to their next destination. Only 150 permanent residents remain throughout the year, often driven to the location by poverty are people as forgotten as the city itself. Slab City has been named by these residents as “the last free place in North America”. In their desolation, this last free city has been molded by its inhabitants through art works that are typically thought of as outside the boundaries of law and culture. The most famous piece, Salvation Mountain, was created by Leonard Knight (1931-2014) who was inspired in its creation by the Nava jo pueblitos that are found in the area. Knight used adobe and straw to create a dome structure on the mountain that he intended to live in. As a man of incredible faith, Knight poured thousands of gallons of paint upon the mountain, painting bible verses and phrases including “God is Love” upon the mountain side.
A L M
ARTIST: LEONARD KNIGHT LOCATION: SLAB CITY, CA MATERIALS: ADOBE, STRAW AND THOUSANDS OF GALLONS OF PAINT
ARTIST: LEONARD KNIGHT LOCATION: SLAB CITY, CA MATERIALS: ADOBE, STRAW AND PAINT
// S A L V A T I O N M O U N T A I N //
// C A T R O N C O U N T Y, N M //
Location// Catron County, NM Catron County, the largest county in the state of New Mexico is also the least populous. Within this county lie the towns of Quemado and Pie Town each with a population of less than 250 people. This area is rich in Native American relics and ruins including a few dozen structures. Within this large expanse of untampered land lies Walter De Maria’s (1935-2013) Lightning Field. De Maria and his assistants traveled between California, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Texas for five years before settling on the site between the aforementioned towns. The Lightning Field consists of 400 stainless steel poles arranged in a 1 mile by 1 kilometer grid. Each pole is set 220 feet apart from one another and vary in height depending on its individual geographic location in order to be completely level to one another at the top.
ARTIST: WALTER DE MARIA LOCATION: CATRON COUNTY, NM MATERIALS: 400 STAINLESS STEEL POSTS ARRANGED IN A 1 MI X 1 KM GRID
// L I G H T N I N G F I E L D //
// A M A R I L L O , T X //
Location// Amarillo, TX Amarillo, known for its expansive cattle farms, bomb creation and dismantling, and natural gas harvest is located in the northern portion of the state of Texas. There are 198,645 inhabitants in the city. Most of these inhabitants work in the meatpacking industry with Tyson foods being the city’s largest employer. Palo Duro is the largest natural attraction located closest to the city and is the second largest canyon system in the country. Outside of this city’s limits lies Cadillac Ranch an art installation, funded by local millionaire Stanley Marsh, which consists of 10 Cadillac cars dug into the ground head first. The installation was created by Chip Lord, Hudson Marquez and Doug Michels. Anyone that visits the installation is encouraged to spray paint the 10 Cadillacs in any manner they wish effectively changing the installation time and time again.
ARTIST: CHIP LORD HUDSON MARQUEZ DOUG MICHELS LOCATION: AMARILLO, TX MATERIALS: 10 CADILLAC CARS
// C A D I L L A C R A N C H //
// M A R F A , T X //
Location// Marfa, TX Marfa, a city in the high desert of Western Texas is a railroad water stop turned Minimalist Art mecca. In 1971 artist Donald Judd moved to Marfa from New York and began to permanently install his artworks within the city. With Judd’s help, this little Texan city has attracted the attention of other artists and now features various art galleries, museums and installations distributed throughout the city. One of the most well known installations is Prada, Marfa by Elmgreen and Dragset, located outside of Marfa. The piece was created as a “pop architectural” art project and resembles a Prada store made of real building materials and set in the middle of a desert landscape.
ARTIST: ELMGREEN AND DRAGSET LOCATION: MARFA, TX MATERIALS: ADOBE, PLASTER, PAINT GLASS PANE, ALUMINUM FRAME MDF AND CARPET
// P R A D A, M A R F A //
ARTIST: DONALD JUDD LOCATION: MARFA, TX MATERIALS: CONCRETE
// 1 5 W O R K S I N C O N C R E T E , M A R F A //
Each of these destinations are vastly different, they look different, they’re of various sizes and in a similar fashion the artworks that are created amongst them are different themselves. Each artwork featured is specific to its site and would lose its meaning and value if it were removed from its location. I hope to learn what about these environments influenced the artists and how the artwork itself has changed its surroundings.
// T H E
D O C U M E N T A T I O N //
I will document these travels with a journal of what I see, think and feel while traveling to these destinations. Specifically, I will try to capture the impacts both the environments and the artworks leave on me. Photos and videos will aid in the documentation process of the trip. Prior to my trip, I will further investigate the lives of the various artists to try to discern what may have brought them to the specific location their artwork resides in or what beliefs/ values they may have held that influenced their work.
// Factoids // Destinations Watts, CA Joshua Tree, CA Niland, CA Slab City, CA Lake Havasu City, AZ Lake Powell, AZ Jerome, AZ Antelope Canyon, AZ Monument Valley, AZ Santa Fe, NM Pecos National Park, NM Blue Hole, NM Amarillo, TX Marfa, TX
States Crossed California Arizona Utah Colorado New Mexico Texas Method of Transit Automobile
Points of Interest Watts Towers Artist: Simon Rodia Location: Watts, CA 15 Works in Concrete Artist: Donald Judd Location: Marfa, TX Salvation Mountain Artist: Leonard Knight Location: Slab City, CA East Jesus Artist: Charlie Russell Location: Slab City, CA Lighting Field Artist: Walter de Maria Location: Catron County, NM
Cadillac Ranch Artists: Chip Lord, Hudson Marquez and Doug Michels Location: Amarillo, TX Prada Marfa Artist: Elmgreen and Dragset Location: Marfa, TX