We were both very excited to see Double Negative as it is an iconic earthwork, but after spending a full day and night at the site we are both still a bit underwhelmed. As we left, driving across miles of flat mesa we discussed the reasons for our lack of enthusiasm. Just a few days ago at the Spiral Jetty we had both been blown away. We felt alienated from Double Negative rather than drawn in.
During our 24 hour stay at Double Negative no one else visited the work. In fact, most of the locals don't even know it's just a few miles outside of town. The overwhelming sense of isolation made it hard to see the work as alive.
In aerial images the work looks monumental and it is. The cuts are each approximately twenty feet deep and fifty feet long. But Double Negative is located on the edge of a huge mesa, the perfectly flat top of which stretches endlessly into the distance. Heizer's work also drops off into a green valley. Despite it's size, Double Negative is dwarfed by the immense scale of its surroundings.
Adding to the overall sense of lifelessness, Double Negative shows the marks of time. Erosion has caused the once parallel walls to crumble in places leaving debris piled in the bottom. This could lend the work a dynamic aspect, though the stillness of the space overshadows the effect. Perhaps witnessing the decay occuring could unlock the potential energy inherent in the work.
Overall, Double Negative felt inanimate though it was well worth the experience. The first thing we saw at the Spiral Jetty was a group of children running out onto it. In comparison to this spirited image, Double negative felt lonely and stagnant. We tried to capture the desolation in our photographs.
Getting to Double Negative is easier than getting to Spiral Jetty.
Though it is a bit confusing
The main hazard is popping a tire on the sharp rocks.
Once there, you can set up a tent just about anywhere on the flat mesa. Chelsea and I chose this precarious spot perched on the side of the south cut. Just don't go stumbling around in the dark.
This image shows the interior of the north cut. You can see how one of the walls has collapsed partially obscuring the view across the chasm.
Chelsea sitting next to the south cut looking over the lush valley below Heizer's work.
Michel warily peers into the north cut.
The intense sun casts a stark shadow in the south cut creating a striking image.
A context shot showing the mouth of the north cut as it drops off.
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