Michael Heizer is a contemporary artist, considered a pioneer of the ‘land art’ or ‘earth art’ field. This field usually involves large scale sculptures and natural installation. His collection of earth moving construction and paintings have redefined sculpture through his exploration of mass, scale and size. He is highly motivated to understand the dynamics positive and negative space.
Michael Heizer’s ‘City’ is a monumental sculpture in size, scope and conception. He first started building his passion project in 1972 and has no finished the piece in 2016. The City stretches out across the Nevada dessert at a mile and a half long. Heizer was inspired by ancient ritual cities, choosing similar natural materials with a somewhat modern twist. It is made from rocks, sand, and concrete mined and mixed on site.
> “It is just not my inclination to make small work.”
— Michael Heizer
Circular surface, planar Displacement Drawing. El Mirage Dry Lake, Nevada 1970
Created by Micheal driving his motorcycle around in circles inJean Dry Lake to create a pattern of lines. The photographers were there to document Heizer’s movement. The cameras were strapped to a twenty four foot scaffold that was moved sixteen feet for each new shot. It was a time consuming and difficult process that yielded beautiful photographs.
A bird eye view of Circular Drawings. This work has a striking likeness to crop circles. There is something fascinating and yet slightly uncomfortable about seeing a perfect circle in the natural environment.
Heizer at his ranch with Potato Chip. His works are steeped in archeological, anthropological and ecological influences. They resist easy classification.
Potato Chip installed at the Gagosian, New York, 2015
