When driving on Interstate 15, just south of Las Vegas, Nevada be sure to stop at Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone’s land art piece Seven Magic Mountains. We had recently learned about Rondinone’s work at the Pappajohn Sculpture Park in DesMoines Iowa. This massive sculpture is 35 feet tall and consists of thirty-three boulders creating totem-like figures weighing from 20,000 pounds to 25 tons. They are stacked into seven towers and painted in bright and neon colors that stand out in front of the puffy clouds and bright blue sky. Rondinone’s intention is to evoke contrast and continuity from nature to culture. Completed in 2016, it is one of the largest public land art installations completed in the past four decades. It was intended to be there for two years but because people love it so much efforts are in place to continually extend its viewing.
This dry landscape has a long history of art making. Over the ridge in Sloan Canyon thousands of Native American petroglyphs and etched into the rocks. Nearby, Jean Dry Lake, has been an important location for performance and land artists. It is typically very hot and dry and sometimes very windy here. Arrive prepared with water and protection for the weather conditions. Early morning and evening is cooler and the light is dramatic.
For kids and school groups see the activities created by the Nevada Art Museum.
