Chinati Foundation – Putting the "Art" in Marfa
The main site of the Chinati Foundation. It's a lot of buildings...think military base.
Donald Judd passed through the Marfa, TX area when he was in the military in the 1950s. Fast forward to 1979, he was an established artist in New York, who convinced the Dia Art Foundation to fund the purchase of a former calvary installation in Marfa. The 340 acres and its many buildings was to be used to exhibit permanent large-scale installations by three artists. Himself, John Chamberlain and Dan Flavin. He moved from New York City to Marfa and in 1986 the "museum" opened.
As we understand it, that started the whole "art thing" in Marfa.
We hadn't heard of any of these artists, or the others whose works are now housed in the variety of sites and buildings the Chinati foundation owns, (the non-profit that now manages the art, land and buildings.) So, the tour we took was quite helpful. (We opted for the 2.5 hour tour...the 8 hour tour seemed a bit beyond us.)
We grew in understanding, if not outright appreciation, of the efforts of the artists to create art that used and fit in its surroundings, whether landscape, buildings or both.
115 pieces in mill aluminum, viewed from the outside. They are housed in a building that once held German prisoner's of war during WWII. There is still German writing on the walls inside.
On one hand, Judd's 115 pieces in mill aluminum kind of look like a lot of metal boxes in a big building....but the light that streams through the windows hits them all at different angles, making the experience of viewing them ever changing. And the fact that Chinati can dedicate two huge buildings to one work makes it something you probably won't see in big city museum, which might just have one or two of the pieces.
15 untitled works in concrete. This photo does a nice job showing the role light plays in the artwork.
The same can be said for the 15 untitled works in concrete, which are housed outside.
On one hand, the art can look like big concrete boxes sitting in a field.
On the other, it can look quite beautiful.
15 untitled works in concrete.
No photographs are allowed on the tours. They used to, but apparently people weren't paying as much attention to the artwork as they were to taking picture of it. However, they do allow photographs on a self-guided tour of Judd's 15 untitled works in concrete, which is outside on part of the 340 acres that make up the main location of the Chinati Foundation. (Our self-guided tour came complete with Pronghorn antelope!)
Pronghorn antelope were grazing in the field during our visit.
15 untitled works in concrete.
15 untitled works in concrete.