More than half a century after starting it, American artist Michael Heizer is finally opening his pharaonic "city-sculpture" in the heart of the Nevada desert to the public.
This UFO seems to emerge from another world with its abstract forms, composed of sand, compacted earth, rock, and concrete. It is the legendary City (1970-2022) by Michael Heizer, a pioneer of land art. This sculptural marvel finally comes to life in the central-western part of the Basin and Range National Monument, in the heart of the Nevada desert. Its design evokes ancient cities, such as Native American, pre-Columbian, or Egyptian ceremonial sites, while also suggesting the forms of a futuristic megalopolis. "A human experience of time and space, evocative of the immemorial cultures that inspired it," as specified by the Triple Aught Foundation, the non-profit organization responsible for managing its construction, monitoring, and maintenance. A monumental work, City It measures 2,4 km by 1,6 km, reaches a height of 24 m and was built over fifty-two years, for a budget of 40 million dollars. A substantial sum, spread over five decades, which allowed access to colossal industrial resources – initially, the 77-year-old artist self-financed the project before a coalition of institutions and investors joined in.
Unparalleled beauty
With its post-apocalyptic feel, City It encompasses three elements: “Complex One,” created between 1972 and 1976, inspired by the Step Pyramid of Djoser built by Imhotep in Egypt; “Complex Two,” which followed in the 1980s, also referencing ancient cultures; and finally, the geometric extractions “45°, 90°, 180°,” made of triangles and rectangles. Michael Heizer, the son of an archaeologist, thus continues to inscribe the memory of American civilization into the landscape with power and endurance. He retains this ability to work with immense variations in scale, perspective, and viewpoint, producing earthwork sculptures that exist both outside and inside museums and galleries. The most emblematic example, Double Negative (1969), which involved digging a trench in the Moapa Valley, Nevada. From this dream come true, he finally opened his sanctuary to the public, thus completing one of the most important contemporary works of the century which masterfully merges art, architecture and landscape.
City (1970-2022)
Site open since September 2, 2022
Limited visits for the first year of opening
Reservations required: info@tripleaughtfoundation.org
Price: $150 per person
Nathalie Dassa
