Rock art in Los Angeles

The latest sculpture by Michael Heizer, variously known as an "environmental" or "earth" artist, is being installed at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. It is a rock. To be more specific, it is a 340-ton, 21-ft high boulder. It will be installed over a trench and given the title "Levitated Mass."

Read all about it at "Lights! Cameras! (And Cheers) For a Rock Weighing 340 Tons" on the NY Times website.

What I find most interesting about the article, which mostly describes the circus-like atmosphere surrounding the transportation of the boulder, is what is missing. There is a passing comment about the cost, which is quickly justified by the attention being paid to it. "A Los Angeles City Council member ... said the installation was worth the considerable effort and expense that have raised some eyebrows at a time of such austerity. 'Look around you, look how this brings out people,' he said. 'This will be a big magnet here at L.A.C.M.A.'" 

What is missing is any question about this rock's status as art. That seems to be accepted without question. Can you imagine that happening in Milwaukee?