Wonder Machine
WONDER MACHINE is a present day proto-cinematic event, marrying two paramounts of moving image history—the zoetrope and the drive-in movie theatre —in an all but abandoned sub-development in Belen, New Mexico.
Visitors are asked to park around the edge of the WONDER MACHINE, lights engaged and pointed inward to illuminate the contraption. Spectators become activators, as they are the ones who rotate the machine; human strength is translated into centripetal force. The viewer is implicated via shadow, brawn and volunteering their vehicle.
*Friday, October 18, 2013 - installation on view during the day and into the night
Belen, New Mexico (coordinates: 34.559271, -106.553918)**
Directions: Take NM 47 southeast from Belen. From Hwy 47, turn onto Manzanita Rd (you will drive through a “Tierra Grande” gate and cattle guard—if you see a house with a Batman logo on the garage, you’re going the right way. Drive 4.3 miles on Manzanita—you will hit an unmarked intersection—turn left here (unmarked Military Road). Drive 1.3 miles until you reach a big curve to the left. Pull over and park to the right.
*Due to the remote nature of this site, we recommend you arrive before sunset. (There will also be a caravan heading to the site after dark from the town of Belen, if you’d like to follow someone to the site–please meet at the Conoco Gas Station/Ali’s Mini Mart at the Junction of Hwy 309 and 47 in Belen at 7 pm.)
Visitors are welcome to camp out overnight at this site—campers, please bring your own water, food, camping gear, and other provisions. (High Desert Mink Hole is also onsite, with a performance at 8 pm)
OCTOBER 12, 2013 - OCTOBER 19, 2013
High Desert Test Sites hits the road for a full week of experimental art and exploration, from Joshua Tree to Albuquerque!
HDTS 2013, the ninth program in a series of free ranging and ever evolving contemporary art events, expands our range and depth to take in everything from Joshua Tree, California to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Roughly 60 new projects will take place over an entire week, during which artists and audience alike will traverse over 700 miles of desert roads to check out the new work and explore the hidden gems and diverse desert communities along this spectacular stretch of the Southwest.
Project sites include: Amboy Crater, Arcosanti, Area 66 (Yucca), Art Queen (Joshua Tree), Bluewater Lake State Park, El Malpais National Monument, El Rancho Hotel (Gallup), Giant Rock (Landers), Hill Top Motel (Kingman), Magdalena Ridge Observatory (Socorro), Mill Restaurant (Crown King), Montessa Park (Albuquerque), Palms Restaurant and Saloon (Wonder Valley), Petrified Forest National Park, Octopus Car Wash (Albuquerque), Pink Post Office Projects (Wonder Valley), Tamarind Institute (Albuquerque), Warehouse 1-10 (Magdalena), in addition to our regular HDTS sites.
The week’s festivities include a Saturday night opening dinner (first-come-first-served) at The Palms in Wonder Valley October 12, with musical performances by The Sibleys and The Renderers.
A zine-style publication, designed by Brad Hudson Thomas, with original texts by James Trainor and Eden Solas, will accompany the event.
