The Road Less Traveled

 

Nationality

American

Artist Dates

1930-2010

Preview

image preview

Date of Work

ca. 1976

Medium

35mm slide, digitized 2020

Collection/Provenance

James Smith Pierce Collection: Folk and Outsider Image Collection

Status

Stored

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

Paul & his wife Mathilda originally emigrated to LaCrosse, Wisconsin from Germany in 1885. They raised five children on their farm and later left the farm's operations to one of their sons. In 1929, the couple decided to begin their own "retirement project". Building continued from 1929-1936, primarily in the summer months. Sculptures on the property included ships, fences, religious structures, and many other buildings. Many of the pieces on the property made of concrete and are covered in shattered glass and crockery. The Wegner Grotto is now owned by the Kohler Foundation which has preserved the pieces and added structural stabilization to the area.

From this picture on the property, one of the many fences on the property can be seen. A religious structure can also be seen behind the fence. All of the pieces within this photo are given a splash of color from pieces of glass.

Image is provided for educational purposes only. © University of North Dakota. All rights reserved.

Condition Notes

35 mm slide in excellent condition.

Share

Image Location

 
COinS