An installation by James Turrell will be featured as part of a new outdoor public art museum at the Powder Mountain ski resort in Utah, which was recently acquired by former Netflix CEO Reed Hastings. During the 2024–25 ski season, the 12,100-acre property will showcase a variety of artworks before officially inaugurating the skiable museum with permanent large-scale works from Turrell, Jenny Holzer, Paul McCarthy, and several others.
“At Powder, we want every experience—from the ski resort to the residential community to the outdoor art museum—to be intentional, and the integration of art into the mountain is a manifestation of that consideration,” said Hastings, as the new chairman for Powder Mountain. “We aim to transform Powder into a multi-season destination that blends recreation, art, and meaningful connection for our entire community,”
Originally commissioned for the 54th Venice Biennale, Turrel’s Ganzfield Apani (20211) will be showcased in a newly constructed pavilion on the mountain. This walk-in light installation is part of the artist’s exploration of light and perception. The pavilion will be situated among the resort’s 156 trails.
Meanwhile, Holzer will engrave a new series of texts on mountain rocks, while McCarthy, a Utah native, will install an immersive piece that draws from the mythology of the American West.
“I grew up in Utah, and the influence of Utah and its mountains has been a critical part of my work,” McCarthy said in a press statement. “A core subject sitting in both my subconscious and conscious mind. I am excited to have the opportunity to realize a work in that landscape and to be a part of building something special at Powder Mountain.”
Elsewhere, the new art program will present an undisclosed work by Nancy Holt from the 1980s. From 1973 to 1976, Holt created her first site-specific work in Utah, Sun Tunnels (1976), which are still located in the Great Basin Desert.
The art program will also feature a site-specific design for two ski lifts by EJ Hill, among the first commissions during the 2024–25 ski season. Other commissioned artists include Arthur Jafa, Nikita Gale, Gala Porras-Kim, Davina Semo, and Raven Halfmoon, with additional names to be announced. Established in 1972, Powder Mountain is one of the largest ski resorts in North America.
Director of Powder Mountain’s new art program, Matthew Thompson, said: “The curatorial vision is rooted in the intentional integration of art into the landscape and the seasonal rhythms of the mountain, drawing deep connections to the legacy and enduring influence of the historical land art projects of the American West.
