Wrong Rock Story

Opending Day at LACMA. Michael Heizer's Levitated Mass. The masses are out there looking and milling around. Lots of pixels firing as people pose with their hands in the air while their friends direct "higher...little bit higher.. now flatter" [snap]

See this guy in the green shorts and billed cap? Watch him.

He's making his way up the west end of the trench. Carrying the lady's bag, right? Snaps a picture here and there.

So, as he approaches he says to this little clutch of people
"You know it's the wrong rock, don't you?"
The dark haired lady with the sunglasses catching her breath exclaims "What?!?"
"Yeah" he says, "there was a mix up at the quarry. They put the wrong rock on the transporter."
"No..." we all say.
Yep, he says, "the ART rock is still sitting in the quarry. This is just a rock." And he saunters on.

We all look at each other and break out in laughter. We shake our heads muttering "that's a good story!"

A good story levitates the moment.

Levitated Mass Culmination

On Sunday, the big rock officially took its place in a work called Levitated Mass by Michael Heizer. It was the opening of the installation on the LACMA grounds with speeches and a red ribbon cutting. Politicians, philanthropists, curators, art lovers, rock watchers and rock followers were all in attendance and walked the trench that married the rock to become art.  

I want to say this is the culmination of decades of work and waiting, but I hope it is just the beginning of a long history.

Don't worry, I have more pictures.

The Rock Revealed.

The drape is gone.

The Rock is revealed.

It's a beauty!

I visited the Rock at LACMA on Sunday morning and was happy to see that the green drape has been removed. There remains the debris that accompanies finishing touches, like drop cloths, piles of decomposed granite, earth-moving equipment and a wagon filled with very large water tanks. There are workmen in white outfits like painters. I was hoping I could see what they were up to but I had to get on with my day.

Landscaping seems to be underway or "land-scraping" maybe. It's barren at this point.

The banner that describes Michael Heizer's project is posted on the construction fence. It looks like it will hold up - only 13 days left to the official opening on June 24!

Something I noticed on LACMA's website

     Special: Free museum admission June 24 to July 1, 2012, for

     residents in zip codes along the transport route. Find out more

Cool!

It's been a long time . . .

. . . and I don't have much to say except I wish I was shooting more and working less.

Just to make a post, I'm putting up some shots from the Camera Committee Hummingbird Photo Workshop presented by my friend Allan Der.

I didn't do very well with pre-focus and anticipate exercise of it. But these folks made some remarkable images. Check them out on the Meetup page.

Here is my best shot. Don't look too closely unless you are wondering how not to capture a hummingbird in flight.

Thanks to Allan, there are more good photos out there.

The Rock is Perched in New Dress

The view to north. Doesn't the Rock look like a catalog model, hip-cocked and left leg extended to emphasize the elegant lines of the gown?

The view from Fairfax and Sixth Street, through the trench.

I was surprised to see a green cloak (a parachute maybe) settled on Michael Heizer's Rock this morning. Viewed from the Broad (looking north to Park La Brea), it's fairly elegant, draping nicely and pooling about the base.  From the West, it looks a bit shabby.

Nice color, though.

In what I assume is its ultimate position, I begin to see the levitation effect. I can't wait for the big reveal!

The west end of the concrete trench seems to be finished, and the red transporter and gantry equipment has been reduced to one trailer load of stuff (glimpsed behind the Rock above. Heavy equipment still dots the yard and the trench.

Rainy Day at the Getty Villa

I visited the Getty Villa today for the first time since it re-opened. 

I don't know why it has taken me so long! Here is a link to these details photos and their parent frames.



Rock of a Different Color

Touring Red Rock Canyon State Park with Bob and Carole was enlightening.

You have driven through the park many times on Highway 14 as you make your way to greater adventures up Highway 395, headed for Mt. Whitney, Mammoth, Trona Pinnacles, Death Valley. Maybe you have driven into the campground to use the bathroom. Maybe you even thought you'd visit...some day.

For me that day turned into three this weekend. It was great.

You can see this formation from Highway 14. It might be called the Temple of Heliopolis

Turk's Turban

Ancient Petroglyphs in Last Chase Canyon

Orion and Taurus over Ricardo Campground

Thanks to Red Rock Canyon-enthusiast Bob for introducing me to this wonderful "neighborhood" park.  Thanks to Carole for facilitating the great outing and for getting up before dawn, motivating me to go out and capture the Turban pictures.