Levitated Mass

Forty years in the making, and following months of logistical planning, one of the largest megalithic stones to be moved since ancient times was transported 105 miles from Riverside to Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) where it was publicly unveiled on Sunday.

The 340 tons granite boulder, named Levitated Mass, is artist Michael Heizer's latest modern abstract art sculpture made out of a combination of concrete, steel and stone. As part of LACMA's public sculpture program, the rock sits in an arid landscaped area of LACMA's north lawn, where it is suspended over a 456 foot long walk-through trench that descends 15 feet in depth underneath the boulder.

The $10 million acquisition was dedicated to the memory of LACMA's former board of trustees chair Nancy Daly's leadership and philanthropic vision.

Following podium remarks and a ribbon cutting ceremony, artist Heizer, Mayor Villaraigoza, County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, LACMA CEO and Wallis Annenberg's Director Michael Govan, and an audience of generous patrons, and trustees led the approximately one thousand guests underneath the rock where it was admired from all angles and from a variety of lighting conditions.

Levitated Mass sparked neighborhood celebrations along its route from Jurupa Valley through 22 cities in the counties of Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange and Los Angeles. The rock also inspired a documentary by filmmaker Doug Pray called The Boulder, a 4^th of July Levitated Mass balloon by artist Mungo Thomson and, like the Tower of Pisa, countless of pictures of people posing pretending to hold the rock up.

Free admissions to the museum is granted through July 1 for residents of communities that the boulder passed through on its way to LACMA.

For more information contact Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) at 5905 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90036, (323) 857-6000 or visit www.lacma.org