October 16, 2008
Cadillac ranch (Amarillo, Texas, USA) & Airstream ranch (Florida)
Cadillac Ranch is a public art installation and sculpture in Amarillo, Texas, U.S. It was created in 1974 by Chip Lord, Hudson Marquez and Doug Michels, who were a part of the art group Ant Farm, and it consists of what were (when originally installed during 1974) either older running used or junk Cadillac automobiles, representing a number of ...
...evolutions of the car line (most notably the birth and death of the defining feature of early Cadillacs; the tail fin) from 1949 to 1963, half-buried nose-first in the ground, at an angle corresponding to that of the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt.
The piece is a statement about the paradoxical simultaneous American fascinations with both a "sense of place" — and roadside attractions, such as The Ranch itself — and the mobility and freedom of the automobile.
Probably the best imitation of Cadillac ranch was the Airstream ranch, a similar installation, but based on airstream RV along Interstate 4 near Plant City, Florida. It was unfortunately removed.
coordinates : 35° 11' 14.83" N 101° 59' 13.77" W
google map
pictures sources : 1 2 3 4
text source : 1
Artificial Owl recommends:
The Airstreams are still there, as of a few months ago. I pass this on the way from Orlando to Tampa.
ReplyDeleteI have to check that. I have read everywhere that they were removed... Thanks for your comment!
ReplyDeleteI can also vouch for the Airstreams still being there -- passed by on the way to and from Orlando earlier today. Unfortunately, my camera was not handy.
ReplyDeleteAs I can recall, they made news about a year ago when several residents complained to Lakeland about it, calling it an eyesore. There was talk about the city forcing the owner to remove it, but I don't think they were able to do so for one reason or another.
Too bad I can't find any pictures of Larry Eaton's buried school bus farm in Wilsonville Oregon on the internet. It would go really well with this theme.
ReplyDeleteSee:
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/01/17/us/sherwood-journal-these-buses-stop-real-close-to-a-prison-in-oregon.html
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/52950_busprotest02.shtml
The Airstreams are definitely still there, as of the last time I drove past.
ReplyDeleteAnd a few miles away, on the other side of the road, you have the giant concrete dinosaurs...
The Airstream Ranch is still there so far. It was erected by a large Airstream RV dealer directly beside it. The zoning board wanted to remove it, calling it an advertisement, but the owner sued, calling it art. It is tied up in the courts at this time.
ReplyDelete