The 35th Anniversary of Dark Star Park
Every August 1st at 9:32 am, Nancy Holt’s Dark Star Park (1984), in Arlington’s Rosslyn neighborhood, aligns with the sun. Shadows cast by the spheres and poles of this landmark outdoor sculpture align with their permanent forms on the ground, marking the moment of Rosslyn’s founding. For the 35th anniversary of Dark Star Park, Arlington Public Art partnered with the Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden and Holt/Smithson Foundation for a series of activities at the Hirshhorn, as well as at Dark Star Park, including:
In Conversation: Time in Public Sculpture
Wednesday, July 31, 6:30 p.m. | Ring Auditorium, Hirshhorn Museum
Holt/Smithson Foundation’s Executive Director Lisa Le Feuvre led a panel discussion exploring the ever-evolving nature of sculpture in the public realm with Arlington Public Art Founding Director Angela Anderson Adams, Hirshhorn Associate Curator Anne Reeve, and the Isamu Noguchi Foundation and Garden Museum Director Brett Littman.
- Listen to an audio recording of the panel discussion.
The Alignment at Dark Star Park with Janel and Anthony Performance
Thursday, August 1, assemble 9:00 a.m. | Dark Star Park
In coordination with the shadow alignment, Cuneiform recording artists Janel and Anthony performed an original site-specific composition. The Rosslyn Business Improvement District provided refreshments and hospitality.
- View a video clip of the shadow alignment and performance by Janel and Anthony.
- View a time lapse video of the alignment.
- Hear the studio recording of the site-specific composition by Janel and Anthony.
Nancy Holt Film Screenings with an introduction by Lisa Le Feuvre
Thursday, August 1, 12:30 p.m., & Saturday, August 3, 2:00 p.m. | Ring Auditorium, Hirshhorn
Screening of Nancy Holt, Sun Tunnels (1978, 26 min.) and Nancy Holt, Art in the Public Eye: The Making of Dark Star Park (1988, 33 min.). The films reveal the making of visionary land artist Nancy Holt’s earthworks, serving both as documentation of her best-known land art sculptures and as artworks in themselves.
- A copy of The Making of Dark Star Park will be available at the Center for Local History in the near future. Please contact us for information.
Photos by Elman Studio llc
Press
August 1, 2019, Washington Post
Photo from Dark Star Park Day Featured
August 1, 2019, LocalDVM.com
Work of art comes to life for only 60 seconds
August 1, 2019, WTOP
As clock strikes 9:32, Rosslyn art phenomenon ensues
August 1, 2019, Washingtonian Magazine
Dark Star Park Featured in “Things to Do in DC This Weekend”
July 30, 2019, DCist
Once A Year, This Arlington Sculpture Puts On A Light And Shadow Show
July 29, 2019, Washington Post
Dark Star Park Day Featured in “11 things to do in the DC area this week”
July 2019, City Paper
Dark Star Park Alignment Selected as Critics Pick
July 30, 2019, East City Art
35th Anniversary Dark Star Park Celebrations
July 29, 2019, ARLnow
Arlington Agenda Highlights Dark Star Park Day
July 29, 2019 Arlington Magazine
Dark Star Park Featured in “24 Things To Do in August”
July 25, 2019, Arlington Connection
Dark Star Park Featured in Entertainment Calendar
July 10, 2019, ARLnow
Arts Focus: Arlington Arts & The Hirshhorn Celebrate 35th Anniversary of Iconic Dark Star Park
July 2019, WETA Local Calendar
Short Films by Nancy Holt at the Hirshhorn Highlighted