Walter de Maria: The Lightening Field

Walter de Maria is an American sculptor. He studied art and history in college. Also, he was interested in modern art movements like Dadaism. When he created art, as his main medium, he found some industrial materials. Above all, stainless steels and aluminum were best medium for him. After 1968, he wanted to make land art using nature things. The harmony of landscape, light, weather, and nature became his new project. The effect of his projects allowed people to remain physical and intense experiences. By making land arts, Walter De Maria thought how the viewers think about between earth and universe, so he started to make his arts as a viewer. It became his purpose of works. One of his land arts was “The Lightning Field”. It is located on the high desert of near Quemado, Southwestern New Mexico. In 1977, Walter De Maria made it using stainless steel poles. Originally the area was a land where there were thunders very frequently. Thus, when there are under thunders, 400 stainless steel poles could lead to light up. Stainless steel poles placed a rectangular grid array one mile by one kilometer.

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