Rock star

Dear Editor:Isn't it amazing what some people consider to be art? Even more amazing is how a self-proclaimed "artist" was able to con a group of people into donating $10 million to purchase and transport the huge chunk of granite from Riverside to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, which is prominent in the news this week. We went to Rowland Heights this afternoon to check it out, and it truly is an impressive sight. Not the rock -- it's wrapped in white plastic for some reason, but the machinery involved in the transportation of it. That is definitely a work of art and engineering. Looking at it, I wonder how they can do the job for a mere $10 million; unless all the cities that it passes through are going to eat the cost of relocating all the signs and wires that reportedly need to be moved. I checked my dictionary for the definitions of art and artist, and it lists a large number of things that can fall in those categories. So I believe this Michael Heizer is truly an "artist" -- a con artist. I wonder how many times he has sold the Brooklyn Bridge. I've never visited the LACMA, but I assume it is home to some very beautiful artworks by a number of very famous artists; and I also believe that when this huge rock is levitated there (at the museum), and called art, it will be a slap in the face and a gross insult to all real artists. I grieve for them. Michael Heizer, the "artist," is reportedly keeping a low profile somewhere in Nevada during the moving of the rock. I think I can understand why. We were at the viewing site today for perhaps an hour and took many photos, as did many hundreds of other people. I never heard one person say, "Oh, look at the beautiful artwork." Maybe that comes later. --Jim Lucas, Downey

********** Published: March 08, 2012 - Volume 10 - Issue 47