On view by appointment, and from May to October (weather permitting), Saturday and Sundays, 12 - 4 PM.
Originally constructed by the artist in 1975 at Merriewold West in Far Hills, New Jersey, this iconic structure is a recreation of the original installation supervised by the artist. A Simple Network of Underground Wells and Tunnels is a seminal work in the evolution of art in the landscape and has been extraordinarily influential in the evolution of installation art, landscape art and architecture.
Its inclusion by Art Omi: Architecture marks an important addition to the program and it also provocatively contextualizes the piece in the lineage of contemporary theoretical architectural discourse. The work is a profound meditation on landscape, program, and function in architecture. Descending underground into confining tunnels and punctuated by bright wells, it creates a primal architectural experience of earth, darkness and daylight. The precise and studied construction, employing concrete blocks and slabs, also places the work firmly within the context of the history of primal minimalist structures.
A Simple Network of Underground Wells and Tunnels was discussed in depth during Curatorial Conversations: Relational Aesthetics in Art and Architecture on May 29, 2020. Watch the video archive here: