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Double Negative

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description Double Negative Overview

Double Negative is a land artwork created by Michael Heizer in 1969 on Mormon Mesa near Overton, Nevada. It consists of two large trenches cut into opposite edges of a natural canyon, so the absent rock and the intervening void form essential parts of the work. Approximately 244,000 tons of sandstone and rhyolite were removed during its construction. The remote earthwork is intended to be encountered at landscape scale rather than as a conventional gallery object.

help Double Negative FAQ

Where is Michael Heizer's Double Negative located?

The massive land art installation is located on Mormon Mesa near Overton, Nevada. It was carved directly into the top of a remote desert mesa, requiring visitors to travel over rugged terrain to view it.

How was Double Negative constructed in 1969?

Heizer used dynamite and heavy earth-moving equipment to displace roughly 244,000 tons of rhyolite and sandstone. The artwork consists of two enormous trenches cut precisely into opposite edges of a natural canyon.

What is the conceptual meaning of Double Negative?

The artwork focuses on the resulting negative space, meaning the absence of the displaced rock forms the actual sculpture. It represents the intersection of massive human industrial intervention and the natural scale of the geological landscape.

Who owns and manages Michael Heizer's Double Negative today?

The artwork is currently owned and maintained by the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) located in Los Angeles. MOCA acquired the piece in 1985 to ensure its preservation as a major piece of American Earth art.

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