Seven Magic Mountains

Seven Magic Mountains
South Las Vegas Boulevard
Las Vegas, Nevada 89054

There is something magical about the desert. The barren landscape, prone to extreme temperatures, inhospitable and impervious to human intervention. It is as if it says, Look, but don’t touch. Come, but don’t stay. In our increasingly crowded world, deserts are the last vestiges of emptiness on the planet. They are the single remaining testament to what the earth was like before our arrival. And they are beautiful, almost worthy of worship.

The seven colourful totems of Seven Magic Mountains were erected in the Las Vegas desert in homage to artists who once made the desolate land their creative studio. But, although new and temporary, they look no more human than the desert itself. Their unnatural, vibrant colours give them an aura that is more otherworldly than less. They have become, in their own way, part of the landscape; more tribute to the desert than to the people who have spent time in it.

It is hard to say how long Seven Magic Mountains will remain on South Las Vegas Boulevard. The highway ribbons through the dusty dunes, unchanged mile after mile except in this one colourful spot. And while it stands out, bold among the muted, sandy hues, it does not look out of place, something that is hard to understand until you have seen it in person.

There is something magical about the desert. And Seven Magic Mountains draws people out to experience that magic. Part of me hopes the installation is never taken down.