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