A concrete slot and a 340-ton granite boulder make a massive installation

A monumental sculpture, ‘Levitated Mass’ by artist Michael Heizer has opened to the public on June 24 at The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA).

Originally conceived by the artist in 1969, ‘Levitated Mass’ is a 456-foot-long concrete slot, over which sits a 340-ton granite boulder. A press release elaborates: "As visitors walk through the slot, the pathway descends to fifteen feet in depth, running underneath the boulder before ascending back up. A formal dedication ceremony, open to the public, will take place at 11 am, inaugurating the artwork’s official debut.

"Transport of the boulder from a quarry in Jurupa Valley to LACMA — one of the largest megalithic stones to be moved since ancient times — made international headlines in March of this year. The 11-night journey through five counties and twenty-two cities drew thousands of enthusiastic onlookers day and night from all over Southern California. Transport was made possible by Hanjin Shipping Co."

“This is a historic occasion, one many years in the making,” said LACMA CEO and Wallis Annenberg Director Michael Govan. “Thousands of families witnessed the transport of the 340-ton megalith to LACMA this spring, and now Michael Heizer has realized his artwork on the museum’s campus, where it will stand for generations to come. I am grateful to the many generous donors who made this incredible endeavor possible.”

‘Levitated Mass’ was made possible by private gifts to Transformation: The LACMA Campaign from Jane and Terry Semel, Bobby Kotick, Carole Bayer Sager and Bob Daly, Beth and Joshua Friedman, Steve Tisch Family Foundation, Elaine Wynn, Linda, Bobby, and Brian Daly, Hanjin Shipping Co., Ltd., Richard Merkin, MD, and the Mohn Family Foundation. LACMA has dedicated this acquisition to the memory of Nancy Daly, former chair of LACMA’s board of trustees.

“Nancy Daly was a passionate advocate for the arts and for children in Los Angeles,” said Terry Semel, co-chair of LACMA’s board of trustees. “Levitated Mass is a fitting tribute to her leadership and to her philanthropic vision. I know that so many people — children especially — will find inspiration and wonder in this monumental work of art.”