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Art In The Desert: Human Artificiality In The Natural Landscape

Double Negative
Scott Dickensheets

Double Negative, pictured above, is just one of several art projects that dot the landscape of the American Southwest

Massive neon signs and structures in Las Vegas is nothing new.

But neon in the middle of the desert near the Jean Dry Lake Bed? Now that would be something to look at.

That’s exactly what Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone will bring in 2016 with his “Seven Magic Mountains” giant neon-colored rock totem structure.

The seven neon boulders will be stacked on top of one another - towering over the surrounding desert terrain and visible for miles.

From Desert Companion:  Tales of City: an evening with Dave Hickey and Michael Govan

Rondinone isn’t the first one to have use the desert of the American Southwest as a giant canvass. Artist Michael Heizer began City in 1972, and work is still ongoing on the colossal project. In rural Lincoln County near the border of Nye County, City is nearly a mile and half long, roughly the size of The National Mall in Washington, D.C.

Artist Robert Smithson created Spiral Jetty off the northeastern shore of Great Salt Lake, Utah, using more than 6,000 tons of black basalt rocks.

From Desert Companion:  Zeit: Protecting City

Scott Dickensheets, deputy editor, Desert Companion magazine; Kristen Peterson, art writer, Las Vegas Weekly; Michele Quinn, owner, MCQ Fine Art

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Prior to taking on the role of Broadcast Operations Manager in January 2021, Rachel was the senior producer of KNPR's State of Nevada program for 6 years. She helped compile newscasts and provided coverage for and about the people of Southern Nevada, as well as major events such as the October 1 shooting on the Las Vegas strip, protests of racial injustice, elections and more. Rachel graduated with a bachelor's degree of journalism and mass communications from New Mexico State University.