We've been waiting a long time for "Levitated Mass", the giant boulder which currently resides in Riverside county, to embark on its exodus to sunny Los Angeles. The boulder will be part of an upcoming, legendary installation by Michael Heizer at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art that aspires to evoke the accomplishments of previous rock and monolith movers such as the Egyptians and Olmecs in Mexico.
After about six months of delays due to permit issues and transportation logistics, the rock will begin its journey on Tuesday night. The two story high, 680,000 lb. beast of a rock is in for a rough voyage, however, seeing as it can't travel faster than a whopping five miles per hour.
So how exactly is this going to happen, exactly? Emmert International, a company that often transports missiles, is building a "transporter" to go around the border that is three freeway lanes wide. A police escort will accompany the rock on its journey, which will end on Saturday March 10 (a bit longer than the usual hour and a half drive).
"Levitated Mass" was conceptualized by Heizer in 1968, but it took him decades to find the perfect boulder. Once the mass reaches its new home at the LACMA, a ramp will run 15 feet underground below the boulder, giving those who pass under it the illusion that it is levitating.
Bon voyage, glorious rock! We will be keeping track of the rock's route here, and you should do the same if you have a lot of time on your hands or are just weird like us.
What do you think, readers? Is this a ridiculous endeavor or do you admire Heizer's chutzpah?