The Lightning Field (Walter De Maria)

The Lightning Field by Walter De Maria is an outdoor art installation in New Mexico, consisting of 400 steel poles arranged in a grid over a one-mile by one-kilometer area. Designed to evoke natural phenomena, the poles create a striking landscape that responds to the sky’s weather, especially lightning. Visitors experience the artwork by spending a night in a remote cabin nearby, allowing them to observe the poles during storms and appreciate the subtle interplay between nature and human creation. The piece invites reflection on creativity, nature’s power, and the human desire to interpret natural forces through art.