01.24.20
FIELD TEST FRIDAY: SEVEN MAGIC MOUNTAINS
by Ventureborn
If you have driven southbound I-15 through Las Vegas en route to California, chances are you have seen a bunch of large painted boulders stacked on top of each other off the side of the highway. If you are like us, we flew past them doing 80mph numerous times before actually taking the time to venture off the road and get a closer look.
Visible from miles away, the "Seven Magic Mountains" installation is the brainchild of renowned Swiss artist, Ugo Rondinone. The colorful, large-scale work of art is free to the public and will be on display for two years thanks to a permit from the Bureau of Land Management in 2017.
According to Rondinone, "the location is physically and symbolically mid-way between the natural and the artificial: the natural is expressed by the mountain ranges, desert, and Jean Dry Lake backdrop, and the artificial is the expressed by the highway and the constant flow of traffic between Los Angeles and Las Vegas."
Seven Magic Mountains is obviously a very photogenic location. Make sure to bring a camera but be prepared for crowds. With the 2-year permit coming close to an end, travelers are making the pit-stop more frequently.
Getting there: from Las Vegas, follow I-15 S to Sloan Road (exit 25) and turn left/east to Las Vegas Blvd. Drive approximately seven miles south on LV Blvd. and the 35' pillars of stone will appear on your left. You can't miss it. Park in the small dirt lot and walk a few minutes to the base of the installation. Enjoy!