By CORINNE MESSER
The Progress
A dedication ceremony was held last week for “Earth Rise,” a new sculpture by Mark Brandvik which has been installed on the front lawn of the Overton Community Center. The event took place on Wednesday, Nov. 1 with a crowd of about 50 people attending.
Brandvik’s steel sculpture pulls inspiration from the nearby landscape’s landforms and archaeology; all while honoring the American spirit of discovery from the Space Age.
Clark County Parks & Recreation’s Public Arts staff handed out 5 x 7 posters of both Earth Rise and Through the Muddy, a mural installed in 2018 in the main hall of the Community Center painted by artist, Gig Depio. Small lapel pins of Earth Rise were also for the taking. Both artists were available to answer questions about the artworks.
There was also a photo display of “Double Negative, a large land sculpture by renowned artist Michael Heizer which is located on the Mormon Mesa. Brandvik’s work was commissioned as a gateway piece for Double Negative.
Mickey Sprott, the Clark County Parks and Recreation Cultural Supervisor of Public Arts started the dedication ceremonyby expressing gratitude to the selection committee for the Earth Rise artwork.
This committee included former MV Town Board member Kristen Pearson, former Chamber of Commerce president Vanette Christensen, and MV Progress editor Vernon Robison, and architect Eric Straight of the UNLV faculty.
Sprott also extended her thanks to local contractor Brimont Construction who was the concrete contractor. She gave a special tribute to County Commissioner Marilyn Kirkpatrick, who was present at the event. Kirkpatrick had lined up county arts funding for the project.
Kirkpatrick then spoke, expressing her gratitude to many dedicated individuals who had invested time and talent in bringing the project to fruition.
Selection team member Vernon Robison spoke next expressing his appreciation to Kirkpatrick mentioning she was the one who accomplished the real “heavy lifting” of this project.
Robison delved into the history of Double Negative, its creation dating back to the late 1960s. He talked about his uncle, and long-time Logandale resident, Bryant Robison, who was the contractor hired by Heizer to excavate the famous artwork.
Robison pointed out that tourists from around the world have visited Double Negative, thus contributing to the success of local businesses.
Robison then shifted the focus to Earth Rise and its similarities to Double Negative. Local contractors were employed in its construction, bringing economic benefit to the community. He anticipated that travelers would now pause to admire and capture photographs in front of the new installation. This might encourage them to explore the community, possibly deciding to extend their stay, he said.
Mark Brandvik was next to speak. Brandvik holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree from UNLV and a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His artistic creations have left their mark not only in the United States but also in Canada and Europe.
Brandvik expressed his appreciation to the local community for their support and collaboration. He notably mentioned John Lamping Concrete, Curtis Steel, and Brimont Construction among others for their assistance in bringing his vision to life. He was especially appreciative to Judy Metz, Community Services Specialist for Clark County Rural Services, for her help.
In an interview, Brandvik provided insight into the inspiration behind his artistic creation. He said that his vision was to create a symbolic gateway to Double Negative with his sculpture, while highlighting the local distinctive geology.
Brandvik used Heizer’s quote “I think earth is the material with the most potential, because it is the original source material” for inspiration.
Brandvik’s work also established a significant connection to the Apollo 8 mission, which occurred in 1969, the same year Double Negative was created. Within this context, Brandvik highlighted the iconic photograph taken by astronaut, Bill Anders during the Apollo 8 mission called Earthrise.
Anders was quoted as saying, “We came all this way to explore the moon, and the most important thing is that we discovered the Earth.”
Following the ceremony, attendees gathered in the main hall for a meal prepared by Judy Metz and served by the dedicated members of the Teen Leadership Corps (TLC).
Donna Swanson the art teacher at MVHS was in attendance. She told The Progress that her students had an opportunity months ago, to meet with Brandvik and express ideas of his projected art installment. Swanson said the students talked about things that represent the Moapa Valley; both modern and ancient.
Brandvik’s sculpture is build on steel pieces similar to the boulders at Valley of Fire. Inscribed on some of these boulders are a series of glyphs which grew, in part, from those conversations.
As the evening progressed and guests began to depart, Earth Rise was bathed in majestic illumination, accentuating its beauty and serving as a captivating parting image for all who had gathered to celebrate this noteworthy occasion.
