Walter De Maria

Walter De Maria (Albany, California, 1935 – Los Angeles, 2013) was one of the most influential American artists of the late 20th century, renowned for his pioneering role in minimalism, land art, and conceptual art. Born to a family of Italian descent, De Maria studied Art and History at the University of California, Berkeley, before moving to New York in 1960, where he lived and worked for most of his career. In addition to sculpture and installation, De Maria was also a musician, playing drums in the band The Primitives—a precursor to the Velvet Underground—and collaborating with avant-garde composer La Monte Young. In 1963, together with Robert Whitman, he co-founded an art gallery in Manhattan, marking the beginning of a career rich in experimentation and collaboration. Walter De Maria’s artistic practice is characterized by the use of polished metal materials, precise geometries, and a deep focus on the relationship between artwork, space, and nature. Among his most famous works are The Lightning Field (1977), a grid of 400 stainless steel poles installed in the New Mexico desert, The Broken Kilometer (1979), and The New York Earth Room (1977)—permanent installations that explore themes such as infinity, perception, and the relationship between humans and the environment. De Maria received numerous accolades, including a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1969. Despite his reserved nature and limited public exhibitions, his work has been acclaimed by international critics and is considered among the most significant of his era. His works are now held in major museums and private collections worldwide and continue to influence generations of contemporary artists.