Just outside of Rhyolite, Nevada, a spectacular ghost town off the road leading to Death Valley, California, agroup of prominent Belgian artists, led by the lateAlbertSzukalski, created a self-described art situation consisting of seven outdoor sculptures that are colossal not only in their scale, but in their placement within the vast upper Mojave desert.
Goldwell Open Air Museum
is featured in the new book
"Destination Art,"
the definitive guide
to the world's
most unique places
for experiencing art.
You'll encounter a life-size, ghostly interpretation of the Last Supper painting by Leonardo Da Vinci; a 25-foot high pink woman made of cinder blocks; a 24-foot high steel prospector accompanied by a penguin; a blossoming tangle of gleaming chrome car parts; and an exquisitely carved winged woman reaching for the sun from high atop a wooden pillar by the original Belgian artists, as well as new pieces by contemporary American artists.
The sculpture park is free and open to the public 24/7.
For Albert Szukalski, “America” and “The West” represented a place of ultimate freedom where he had permission to pursue his artistic vision unfettered by historical precedent or convention.
With new artist residency and artist workspace programs offered in the nearby Red Barn Art Center, Goldwell remains this kind of place for those who seek adventure in their artmaking in a spectacular and challenging landscape.
Raymond Ghirardo & Megan Robert, Jan 2010 Artists in Residence
Open StudioJanuary 16, 2010
The first resident artists of 2010 at Goldwell were Raymond Ghirardo and Megan Roberts, professors at Ithaca College, New York. During their four week stay they explored Death Valley and the Amargosa Desert, resulting in a video installation in the Red Barn Art Center (video above).
Public Open Studios will be held each month throughout the Spring. Dates to be announced.
Goldwell Open Air Museum is the Nevada Collection Center for the national FUNDRED PROJECT to help make safe the lead-contaminated soil in U.S. cities that puts thousands of children at risk for severe learning disabilities and behavioral problems. New Orleans is one of the most lead-contaminated cities in the U.S.–this is where the solution starts.
You can participate by downloading the Fundred template and drawing your own Fundred Dollar Bill. Send your completed Fundred by February 20th to Goldwell at P.O. Box 405, Beatty, NV 89102, or drop it by Lola's, A Louisiana Kitchen at the Holsum Lofts in Las Vegas.
Goldwell Open Air Museum preserves and encourages artistic exploration in, and of, the Amargosa Desert --an evocative landscape along the eastern edge of Death Valley National Park.
This mission is achieved through the care and presentation of a 15-acre outdoor sculpture park near the ghost town of Rhyolite and through an artist residency program in the Museum’s nearby Red Barn Art Center.
Goldwell Open Air Museum Near the ghost town of Rhyolite, Nevada Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 405
Beatty, NV 89003
PHOTOGRAPHERS:
The Goldwell Open Air Museum is private property and its artworks on display are protected by copyright.
Non-commercial photography for personal use is permitted at any time.
Commercial photography, film and video recording requires permission from the property owners.
Download our Permission to Publish Form (in PDF) or call (702) 870-9946 for more information.
This project is supported, in part, by grants from the Nevada Arts Council, a state agency,and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency, the Nevada Humanities Committee, the Nevada Commission on Tourism,
Goldwell is on Facebook. 
