Gift of James G. Pepper, Class of 1965

Though uncharacteristically diminutive for Michael Heizer, who is best known for his monumental, site-specific earthworks, Circle still reflects the artist’s interest in geometrical shapes and forms. This piece consists of eight, carved wood blocks that visitors can arrange into a circular form, as suggested in the title, or choose to build, stack, deconstruct, and rebuild the blocks into other shapes and structures. The creative process invites visitors to think abstractly. A puzzle with innumerable possibilities for arrangement, the work suggests the potential of collective creativity and problem-solving.

Bibliography

Russell, John. "Heizer's Sculptural World." New York Times, 14 May 1976, p. 67