MILE LONG DRAWING MADE BY DRIVING

Cuddeback Dry Bed, Mojave Desert | Video | 2013

A One Mile drawing made by driving.
The dust from the one mile drive became one mile drawing in the air.
With gratitude to Walter de Maria's Mile Long Drawing from Mojava Desert, 1968.

• Watch a small verison of the | VIDEO

In 1968, Walter De Maria created his first Earthwork, Mile Long Drawing, in the Mojave Desert. The work consists of two parallel chalk lines, each stretching for one mile, which were left to blend back into the desolate landscape. The inherent impermanence of the work is part of its concept. Alongside this ephemeral creation, De Maria’s original documentary photography has vanished, leaving behind only a few surviving images from that time. Among these is the iconic photograph of De Maria lying "dead" at the end of his Mile.

The video version of Mile Long Drawing presented here captures the essence of the work through a mile-long drive. As the vehicle moves across the arid desert surface, a "dust cloud track" is created, visually simulating the drawing in the air. This transient trace fades within minutes.

Today, Walter De Maria’s Mile Long Drawing holds significant historical value, recognized as one of the pioneering Land Art projects. It marked the beginning of De Maria's quest for "a sense of infinity," setting the stage for his future explorations in art.

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