Stitch

Lee Letourneau, Abby Saulter
"Stitch"
2023

"Stitch" sources inspiration from "Rife 1" by Michael Heizer, a zig-zag trench dug into the Jean Dry Lake's surface in 1968, as the first of his Nine Nevada Depressions artwork. Mimicking the shape of the groove, we chose to enlarge and remove the impression, later stitching the absence back together, representing the landscape "healing" itself. We utilized a red string that reflects off of the white gallery wall, emphasizing the constant ability of nature to heal and replace that which has been displaced. Recreating the cracked bed of Jean Dry Lake, we manufactured an environment that meshes together the naturalistic interpretive landscape contrasting with stiff repetitive forms. Immortalizing Heizer's work, we wanted to play with the idea of nature as a force that resists and reclaims human interference as the environment of Jean Dry Lake has reclaimed it.

Rift 1 (1968)
USGS 7.5 Minute Quadrangle Map
JEAN, NV and HIDDEN VALLEY, NV