Obviously, looking at land art is very different than your typical gallery experience and the environmental conditions exert a powerful, ever changing influence. Generally that environmental presence is part of the piece and while on a land art sojourn PORT's Arcy Douglass found a particularly dramatic way to take in the normally quiet Sun Tunnels by Nancy Holt.


the Sun Tunnels (1976) from a distance, May 2009


Detail with an approaching desert squall... closing fast


The storm creates an urgency, way beyond flicking the lights on and off in a gallery


Arcy scurries


This is the dust storm before the rain, we estimate the winds were near 50 mph. Desert squalls can produce winds up to 100mph and Arcy was nearly knocked off his feet in this one.


The worst is past and what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger.

Also, thanks to RACC which funded the over 7000 mile trip and some original research (which Arcy is now organizing)... slated be added to the Nevada Art Museum's Center for Art + Environment's archives.