Document généré le 29 sept. 2021 17:48 Espace Sculpture Sun Tunnels and Archaeoastronomy Iris Amizlev-Shoham Du jardin au désert From Garden to Desert Numéro 54, hiver 2000–2001 URI : https://id.erudit.org/iderudit/9485ac Aller au sommaire du numéro Éditeur(s) Le Centre de diffusion 3D ISSN 0821-9222 (imprimé) 1923-2551 (numérique) Découvrir la revue Citer cet article Amizlev-Shoham, I. (2000). Sun Tunnels and Archaeoastronomy. Espace Sculpture, (54), 34–36. Tous droits réservés © Le Centre de diffusion 3D, 2000 Ce document est protégé par la loi sur le droit d’auteur. L’utilisation des services d’Érudit (y compris la reproduction) est assujettie à sa politique d’utilisation que vous pouvez consulter en ligne. https://apropos.erudit.org/fr/usagers/politique-dutilisation/ Cet article est diffusé et préservé par Érudit. Érudit est un consortium interuniversitaire sans but lucratif composé de l’Université de Montréal, l’Université Laval et l’Université du Québec à Montréal. Il a pour mission la promotion et la valorisation de la recherche. https://www.erudit.org/fr/ Du jardin au DÉSERT From GARDEN to Desert Sun Tunnels and IRIS AMIZLEV-SHOHAM For art-loving city-dwellers longing for nature, a trip to Sun Tunnels, in Utah's Great Basin Desert (or any Land art, for that matter), is likely to be a fulfilling experience, a perfect fusion of natural setting and art appreciation. For those seeking an added bonus, visiting during the summer or winter solstice ensures a magnificent sight. Four con­ crete tunnels placed in an open X con­ figuration are aligned so that the sun rises and sets in the exact centre of two ofthe tunnels during the solstices.1 Nancy Holt, Sun In fact, Sun Tunnels, made by American thrilled as two city girls starved for nature our predecessors lived. And the fact that Tunnels, 1973-1976. artist Nancy Holt between 1973 and 1976, would be. we were going to watch the sunrise Photo : Iris Amizlev- contains several references to astronomy. The setting for this artwork is true through the tunnels during the summer Shoham (1997). Other celestial elements are the differently American wilderness. The desert is stark solstice further compounded associations sized holes drilled in the top half of each and, except for mountains in the far dis­ with the past. It reminded me ofthe tunnel. The holes form various configura­ tance, the tunnels provide the only sub­ numerous theories that I had read tions that correspond to the stars in four stantial thing for the eye to focus upon. A regarding megaliths, the Nazca lines, and different constellations: Columba, Draco, bed of low scrub brush grows on the other ancient sites said to be aligned astro­ Perseus, and Capricorn. The holes' diam­ crackled dry earth, but it is non-imposing. nomically. eter, 18, 20, 23, and 25 centimetres, vary There were other people at the tunnels There were about thirty-five people pre­ according to the magnitude of stars repre­ when we arrived, confirming my suspicion sent in the morning. We watched the sun sented. The sun and moon shine through that visitors tend to coordinate their trips rise through two different tunnels, and these holes, casting circular or oval to see alignments at landworks, if they again, when the event was over, many shadows on the bottom surface and sides exist. We watched the sun set in the tun­ people left. We spent most ofthe day ofthe tunnels' interiors, thus forming con­ nels with twenty-three people and three relaxing inside tunnels and looking at stellations within the tunnels as well. The dogs. When the fleeting event was over, views through their openings, taking in the shapes and positions differ from hour to some people left while others set out for desert beauty and tranquillity. We listened hour, day to day, and season to season, their tents. We slept in one tunnel and to birds, looked at insects, and watched relative to the sun and moon's positions in spent a rather freezing night. mini sandstorms in the distance lifting dry the sky. Waking up was a unique experience. I little shrubs and twirling them in the air. I planned a trip with a friend to see the was enclosed in a large concrete tunnel, We spoke to people, napped, and went for summer solstice sunrise and sunset at Sun the wind was howling, I was disoriented, walks. Tunnels. Upon landing in Salt Lake City, we cold, and felt very secluded. It was the New groups of people arrived in the rented a car and headed for the tunnels. epitome of "being in the middle of evening to watch the sunset. After pitching The scenery on the way was spectacular. nowhere." Montello, the nearest town, was their tents, they congregated in front of the The sparkling crystals in the shallow water thirty-three kilometres away. Had others tunnels that were going to frame the align­ ofthe Bonneville Salt Flats, the convoy of not been around, the sense of solitude ment, chattering excitedly while waiting for mountains, the vast sky, the coyote, ante­ would probably have been intensified. the sun to set. The sky had a pinkish hue lope, and fox sightings, all made us as I couldn't help thinking that this is how with clouds dancing to the sun's melody. 34 ESPACE 54 HIVER / WINTER 2000-2001 Everyone watched the alignment in silent historic humans with capabilities previ­ tion of seasons through its orientation to harmony, while those with cameras pho­ ously unnoticed. solstices and for signalling eclipses ofthe tographed the event to record it. Finally, For pre-calendar, agricultural (or pas­ sun and moon. the sun descended through the tunnels toral) groups whose existence depends on Shortly after these and similar specula­ again. the fruitfulness of earth, noting the cycles tions become well-known, Land artists Seeing this landwork and being familiar of nature that affect the earth's fecundity such as Holt, Robert Morris, James Pierce, with others leads to inevitable questions could be indispensable. The evidence doc­ Charles Ross, Michelle Stuart, James about the similarities between them and umenting ancient astronomy suggests that Turrell, and Bill Vazan created works that ancient sites. What led Holt and other some archaeological sites might have been are astronomically aligned, featuring the artists whose names are associated with aligned to observe patterns that influenced sun, moon and stars as sculptural ele­ Land Art to align some of their works astro­ the environment, thereby measuring times ments. The appearance of such landworks nomically? of year to gauge approximate dates of coinciding with the new ideas about During the 1960s and 70s, discoveries in importance for Neolithic farmers. ancient sites is interesting and suggests, the field of archaeoastronomy flourished Gerald Hawkins's revelations about if not a direct causality between the two, and a boom of information lead to an Stonehenge, in Stonehenge Decoded a general awareness of archaeoastronomy. intensified awareness of prehistoric struc­ (1965), were among the most famous of One may logically conclude that artists are 2 Nancy Holt, Sun tures. Astonishing theories about ancient these hypotheses. By "decoding" the affected by their knowledge of prehistoric Tunnels, 1973-1976. astronomy received widespread media megalithic monument using statistics and astronomy. Photo: Amizlev- coverage, were sensationalized and popu­ a computer, Hawkins proposed that From their comments, we can infer that Shoham (1997). larised in books, newspapers and maga­ Stonehenge was zines, thereby informing the general an ancient astro­ Nancy Holt, Sun populace and possibly Land artists. nomical obser­ Tunnels. Summer solstice sunrise, Suddenly the mysteries that had shrouded vatory, used as a June 21,1997. these remains became clarified (though reliable calendar Photo: Amizlev- not unanimously accepted), endowing pre­ for the predic­ Shoham. ESPACE 54 HIVER / WINTER 2000-2001 35 the motivation for using sky observations its onset. Artists still seek to escape the NOTES : in their work is a combination of wanting to museum establishment and revel in the 1. The solstices occur during the sun's cycle through mark time and the cycles of nature, as well formal liberties that exterior locations its annual orbit in relation to the fixed stars. These as a yearning for primal roots. Obviously, allow. Some continue to align their works are the longest and shortest days ofthe year. In the modern art does not require the informa­ astronomically, thereby extending their northern hemisphere, they occur June 21-22 and tion provided by a rudimentary calendar; it efforts beyond the landscape into the December 21-22 respectively, during which the sun rather alludes to a more abstract concept celestial sphere, resulting in an intensified is furthest from the equator. of time, one closer to what we imagine was outdoors factor and a universal language 2. Gerald S. Hawkins, Stonehenge Decoded (New perceived by the ancients. of form. York: Dell Publishing Co., Inc, 1965). Aside from the seasonal cycles that Sun Tunnels is timeless. Despite its cre­ 3. Janet Saad-Cook, "Touching the Sky: Artworks Using Natural Phenomena, Earth, Sky and aligned works measure, shifting natural ation and status as art, it could have func­ Connections to Astronomy," Leonardo 21 (1988): forces transform the colors and shadows tioned thousand of years ago as a foreteller 128. of landworks and their surroundings. Sun of seasons, like Stonehenge (barring 4. Nancy Holt, interview by author, tape recording, Tunnels is one ofthe most elaborate such obvious formal dissimilarities, such as the Montreal/Finland, 15 July 1997. works, as it offers three different ways of tunnel shapes and the use of concrete as a gauging the hour. One can tell time medium — contrary to other landworks that according to the shadows cast by the tun­ do share formal affinities with ancient nels themselves, by light penetrating the sites), and if the tunnels resist weathering L'auteure « re-visite » les Sun Tunnels que l'artiste tunnels through their openings, and by the (a possibility, considering the relative dura­ américaine Nancy Holt a réalisés entre 1973 et 1976 presence and location of spots of light bility of concrete), might be practical thou­ dans le désert de l'Utah.