Rhythm of Life and Atlatl
Black Mesa in Yucca Valley
Yucca Valley, in southern California, is home to many strange and different things. Artists have found the landscape an attractive backdrop for their work, building diverse creations such as Desert Christ Park, Noah Purifoy Outdoor Desert Art Museum, Pioneertown, the Integratron, God’s Way Love, and the Giant Rock and its associated Integratron here.
Artist Andrew Rogers chose Black Mesa, five miles north of Yucca Valley, to build his gigantic land art “Rhythm of Life and the Atlatl”.
“The challenge is always to use materials in a new and different way, and make them convey meaning and portray form in a manner that has not previously been seen.” -Andrew Rogers
The geoglyphs were created using over 460 tons of stones, stacked to create the immense designs. Rhythm of Life is 50m x 50m (164′ x 164′) – an optimistic symbol of life and regeneration. Atlatl, 61m long (200′), is an echo of the pictographs left by indians in the area, showing the eponymous spear throwing device that increased the velocity of spears, and thus the hunting ability of the tribes. The atlatl was used by Aztecs and native American tribes.
The land art can be seen from the nearby hillside or from the air. We used a DJI Mavic to make a video and take the photos seen here.
The geoglyphs may survive, like Stonehenge, past anyone’s memory of their origin and intent. Their beauty, though, will still be intact.
How to get there: From Rt 62 in Yucca Valley go north on SR 247 / Old Woman Springs Rd until you come to the Old Aberdeen dirt road turn left (west), park, and look up.
Map link -------- GPS 34.186978 -116.437266
Note: Information is from the site’s sign and the artist’s web site
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