Walter De Maria
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Walter De Maria was an American artist whose work played a central role in the development of Minimalism, Conceptual Art, and Land Art during the late 20th century. Born in 1935 in California, he studied music and art, eventually moving to New York, where he became associated with a generation of artists pushing boundaries of scale, perception, and context. De Maria’s works are known for their use of natural materials, geometry, and immersive spatial experiences. His most iconic pieces, such as The Lightning Field (1977) and The New York Earth Room (1977), emphasize themes of time, isolation, and the relationship between nature and constructed environments. He often worked on a monumental scale, encouraging quiet contemplation and physical presence. Though he kept a low public profile, De Maria profoundly influenced the trajectory of installation and environmental art, blending precision with poetic resonance. His legacy continues through permanent works maintained by the Dia Art Foundation.
PROJECTS:
NEW YORK EARTH ROOM
New York City, NY - United States
ADDRESS:
141 Wooster St, New York 10012
ACCESS:
FREE
HOURS:
Wednesday - Sunday | 12 - 3pm and 3:30 - 6pm
DISCRIPTION:
The New York Earth Room by Walter De Maria is a large-scale, indoor installation located in SoHo, Manhattan. Created in 1977, it consists of 250 cubic yards of rich soil spread evenly across a 3,600-square-foot gallery floor to a depth of 22 inches. This quiet, contemplative work contrasts the natural material with the clean, white-walled interior, challenging perceptions of space, permanence, and the role of nature within an urban environment. Maintained continuously since its installation, it offers a sensory experience through sight, smell, and presence, embodying the artist’s minimalist and conceptual approach while inviting reflection on scale, materiality, and time.
NOTES:
Access is FREE to the public, during hours of operation. Press the call button on the Dia buzzer to be let into the building. Take the stairs to the second floor (If you have physical limitations there is an elevator available). Photography is not permitted. If you visit this location you should also walk a few blocks down the street to visit The Broken Kilometer by the same artist, this installation is also FREE. You can find the location on our map.
Image 3: photo credit John Cliett
THE BROKEN KILOMETER
New York City, NY - United States
ADDRESS:
393 West Broadway, New York 10012
ACCESS:
FREE
HOURS:
Wednesday - Sunday | 12 - 3pm and 3:30 - 6pm
DISCRIPTION:
The Broken Kilometer by Walter De Maria is a monumental installation located in SoHo, New York, created in 1979. It features 500 solid brass rods, each two meters long, arranged in five parallel rows of 100 rods. Laid flat on the floor of a large, white-walled gallery, the rods collectively span one kilometer in length. Precisely spaced and polished to reflect light, the work explores themes of measurement, repetition, and spatial perception. Visitors observe from a distance, emphasizing stillness, order, and the passage of time. Maintained by the Dia Art Foundation, it invites meditative reflection within a rigorously structured environment.
NOTES:
Access is FREE to the public, during hours of operation. There are 3 stairs required to enter the space, it is not handicap accessible. Photography is not permitted. If you visit this location you should also walk a few blocks down the street to visit New York Earth Room by the same artist, this installation is also FREE. You can find the location on our map.
Image 3-4: photo credit John Abbott
