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Overview |
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The Lightning Field, 1977, by the American sculptor Walter De Maria, is a work of Land Art situated in a remote area of the high desert of western New Mexico. It is comprised of 400 polished stainless steel poles installed in a grid array measuring one mile by one kilometer. The poles—two inches in diameter and averaging 20 feet and 7½ inches in height—are spaced 220 feet apart and have solid pointed tips that define a horizontal plane. A sculpture to be walked in as well as viewed, The Lightning Field is intended to be experienced over an extended period of time. A full experience of The Lightning Field does not depend upon the occurrence of lightning, and visitors are encouraged to spend as much time as possible in the field, especially during sunset and sunrise. In order to provide this opportunity, Dia offers overnight visits during the months of May through October.
Commissioned and maintained by Dia Art Foundation, The Lightning Field is recognized internationally as one of the late-twentieth century's most significant works of art and exemplifies Dia's commitment to the support of art projects whose nature and scale exceed the limits normally available within the traditional museum or gallery.
Dia also maintains two other of De Maria's projects, both located in New York City: The Broken Kilometer, 1979, and The New York Earth Room, 1977. Another large-scale work by De Maria—The Equal Area Series (1976-90)—is currently installed at Dia:Beacon, Dia's museum for its permanent collection north of Manhattan in Beacon, New York.
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Visiting |
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Please read all the following information carefully before making your reservation.
Advance reservations for an overnight stay at The Lightning Field are required, and are accepted beginning March 1 for the current year's visiting season only. Visits by parties of up to six people (one night only) are available from May 1 through October 31, seven days a week. Day visits and visitors without reservations cannot be accommodated. Please see Reservations below.
Accommodations
A cabin adjacent to The Lightning Field provides shelter and simple meals during your stay. It has three bedrooms (one with a double bed and two with twin beds), two bathrooms, a kitchen, and a common room. Linens are provided. We do not reserve specific bedrooms.
Please note that you may be sharing the cabin with other visitors. We therefore ask that you let us know if you are planning to bring young children and refrain from bringing electronic devices or anything that may disturb other visitors. No more than six visitors per night can be accommodated. Camping is not permitted. Pets are not allowed.
A simple vegetarian supper is prepared and left for you in the refrigerator and a selection of breakfast items are provided for you to prepare the next morning. If you have special dietary requirements you may bring additional food or beverages of your own.
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| Arrival and Departure |
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Dia provides transportation to The Lightning Field from Quemado, New Mexico, which is about a 2½- to 3-hour drive from Albuquerque. Please arrange to arrive in Quemado no later than 2:30 p.m. on the day of your visit and check in at Dia's office in the white two-story building on the north side of the town's main street. It is a 45-minute drive in our vehicle from Quemado to The Lightning Field; you may not take your own vehicle. You will be returned to Quemado at approximately noon the following day.
It is important to arrange your travel plans to meet this schedule since other visitors may have reservations the same day and unscheduled trips cannot be accommodated. If you will be arriving from Arizona, please note that New Mexico time is one hour later than Arizona during the summer months.
To reach Quemado from the Albuquerque airport, take I-25 North to I-40 West and drive approximately 70 miles to Exit 89. Take Rte. 117 South and follow the signs to Quemado (approximately 78 miles). There is no public transportation available between Albuquerque and Quemado.
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| Climate and Conditions |
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Located in the high desert at an elevation of 7200 feet, The Lightning Field is situated on a flat plain. Mornings and evenings can be cold; days are usually not warmer than 85 degrees. Rainstorms can cause the ground to be very muddy but in general, the terrain is flat and good for walking. Bring at least one pair of sturdy walking shoes or boots, sunglasses, a sun hat, warm clothing, and a raincoat or windbreaker.
Although lightning storms typically occur in this area from mid-July through August, and may also occur at other times during the visiting season, the probability of lightning during your visit cannot be predicted.
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| Photography Restrictions |
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The Lightning Field is protected by copyright. Photography of the sculpture and the cabin is not permitted. Commissioned, copyrighted slides are available for $30.00 per set of 8, plus $2.00 shipping and handling. To purchase a set of slides, send a check made payable to Dia Art Foundation to our New Mexico office in Corrales. Please note that these photographic images are for personal or educational use only and their publication is prohibited without written consent from Dia Art Foundation.
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| Reservations |
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We recommend that you call or email us to check availability of dates, however, reservations are made through written correspondence only and are confirmed only upon receipt of your Reservation Form and payment in full at least 48 hours before your visit.
To make a reservation, you may print the blank reservation form and complete by hand, or fill out the reservation form online using Word (or similar) or Acrobat Reader 7 [or above]. Do not email the form. Send the completed form with your check or money order to our New Mexico address at the bottom of the form.
We accept checks and international and domestic money orders. International visitors who are unable to send checks or money orders may contact the Corrales office for information about wiring funds. We do not take credit card numbers and cannot accept payment upon your arrival in Quemado.
Please note that since we must rely on advance scheduling, once your reservation is confirmed your payment is not refundable.
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| Fees for 2008 Visiting Season |
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July and August: $250 per person
May, June, September and October: $150 per person
Student/child (all months): $100 per person (please enclose a copy of student ID)
Please Note: The actual cost of maintaining The Lightning Field and accommodating visits greatly exceeds visitor fees. Contributions toward the operating expenses of The Lightning Field are appreciated, and donations beyond the listed rates are tax-deductible.
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| Support for The Lightning Field |
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Funds for maintaining and operating The Lightning Field are provided in part by an endowment established by Ray A. Graham III and Lannan Foundation.
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| Contact Information |
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You may contact Dia's Corrales, New Mexico, office via email at info @ lightningfield.org, tel (505) 898-3335, fax (505) 898-3336, or mail at PO Box 2993, Corrales, NM 87048.
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