L.A. has a date with The Rock

The Rock first met The Slot at LACMA in April.

Southern California’s favorite 340-ton megalith will be unveiled to the public on June 24 at a dedication ceremony for “Levitated Mass,” the Michael Heizer art installation in which the now-famous boulder dubbed “The Rock” will perch atop a massive, walk-through slot on the campus of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

At the top of the invitation list to see this new heavyweight attraction on the international art scene are the folks whose communities the boulder passed through on its slow-mo journey from a Riverside County quarry to LACMA. All residents who live in the 61 ZIP codes traversed by The Rock are being offered free admission to the museum and its grounds during the week of June 24 through July 1. Proof of residency, such as a driver’s license, will be required. Click here to see if your ZIP code’s on the list.

It’s intended as a thank you to the communities—from Jurupa Valley to Rowland Heights to Long Beach to Los Angeles—that played a part in The Rock’s epic voyage. The trip turned into a festive happening all along the route, with thousands turning out to marvel and, perhaps, plan their first-ever visit to LACMA to behold the boulder once it’s on permanent display. Our video showcases The Rock’s voyage into Southern California history.

As The Rock meets its public for the first time in its new home next month, the museum will also open an exhibition called “Michael Heizer: Actual Size,” a collection of large-scale photographs and projections of other works by the reclusive Nevada artist who created the installation. Heizer lived for a time on the LACMA grounds while “Levitated Mass” was being assembled.

“We live in a world that’s technological and primordial simultaneously,” Heizer said in a statement released by LACMA as part of its announcement. “I guess the idea is to make art that reflects this premise.”

Posted 5/21/12