12:45pm | I was resisting the urge, but finally went out around 12:30 AM on Wednesday morning to hunt for the rock, which is part of Michael Heizer’s art piece, Levitated Mass, soon to be installed in the North lawn of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. I was hoping to find it still en route. I followed the flashing lights of work trucks that were restoring signal lights, power cables, and street lights to their locked and upright position. Eventually, I came to 37th and Atlantic, and there it was.
I don’t know what I expected, but what I saw really blew me away. Not only is the rock big, but the effort to move it is monumental. Three massive big-rig trucks, one in the front and two pushing from behind, are required to move this thing at somewhere between 2 and 6 miles per hour. It took them 3 hours to go from South Street & Palo Verde Avenue to it’s new home for the day.
Even at the early hour, while the crew made adjustments to the rigging, people gathered to stare in wonder. While the rock, wrapped in white plastic, is impressive, the transportor made by Hanjin is equally so. It is a complex engineering marvel.
Later on Wednesday, the Bixby Knolls Business Improvement Association threw a huge party in celebration of the rock’s visit to the neighborhood. Municipal leaders visited, posing with the rock and being interviewed by TV news crews and reporters from regional newspapers. Throngs of excited visitors enjoyed the festive atmosphere, and local businesses worked to keep up with the sudden influx of customers.
Here is some video footage of my early morning visit, and interviews with people at the party, including Blair Cohn, James Johnson, the Duke and Dutchess of Bixby Knolls, and the Knolls Ranger’s Alpine Mountain Climbing Team.
The journey from Riverside will end early this Saturday morning, with the rock having traveled through four counties, more than 20 cities, and requiring a level of logistial planning that boggles the mind. The entire effort, which some have estimated to cost $20 million dollars, was funded entirely by donations. It seems likely that this effort has created a new enthusiasm about art, generally, and will inspire people throughout the Southland to visit LACMA and, hopefully, their local art institutions as well.