Nationality

American

Artist Dates

1930-2010

Preview

image preview

Date of Work

June, 1977

Medium

35mm color slide

Collection/Provenance

Art & Design Study Collection, James Smith Pierce Collection

Status

Stored: JSPX-CN-001

Location

UND Art Collections Repository

Artist Bio

Born in Brooklyn, New York, James Smith Pierce received his PhD in art history from Harvard University. During his career as a professor, Pierce also became an accomplished artist, whose artworks were included in important exhibitions (including a show on land art at the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, DC) and books on contemporary earthworks and site-specific sculpture. Pierce was also a photographer, exhibition curator, and art collector.

Additional Information

James Smith Pierce purchased a 17-acre plot of land east of the the Kennebec River in Clinton, Maine. He spent the next 15 years crafting 20 distinct pieces of land art on what was called Pratt Farm, or, as Pierce called it, a “garden of history.” His work on Pratt Farm spanned millennia by blending earthworks with local and foreign history.

The images in this collection document the progress and completion of the Motte. The Motte was inspired by Norman defense tactics through the use of motte-and-bailey castles. A keep would usually be built atop a raised mound of earth called a motte.

Images are provided for educational purposes only. © University of North Dakota. All rights reserved.

Condition

Excellent

Condition Notes

Original slide in excellent condition. Digitally preserved 2019.

Rights

Images and film are provided for educational purposes only. May not be reproduced in any form without written consent. ©University of North Dakota. All rights reserved.

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