The Grand Gallery in Horseshoe Canyon Utah

[Vaughn]

...But never-the-less they probably represent the first great artistic expression on this continent.

I don't know about that. It seems like saying that bed-sheet size photographs are the first great artistic expression of the photographic arts. They are big, they are relatively archival, but the "first great..." is ignoring song, story-telling, basket-making and pottery as important forms of art. I would love to see this someday, but have little interest in photographing them...but I do not have the more recent connection of being a descendent of those who came over to the Americas prior to the Europeans. Though of course we all are related back there in time somewhere.

I made a few photographs of rock art in Australia, but have no intention of showing them as my art...but still pretty neat stuff.

[austin granger]

Yes, like Peter said, I think the earlier the better. And then you could always hang around all day if you wanted to-it's not like you'd get bored. I didn't get there until mid-afternoon and at that time of the day (it was in October) the figures were pretty faint. For the above picture, I actually "burned" down each figure separately in photoshop! Now I have them memorized. Also, as Peter said, the hike is along a sandy river bed and so is slow going. It's gorgeous though. Besides those wonderful Utah-red rock walls, I remember clouds of colorful butterflies and a couple of cool cave/overhangs.

[Ivan J. Eberle]

Kirk, I can tell you that the light is nicely bounced around in the late afternoon, but the GG faces E. NOT W. There were ropes 3 years ago. A 135mm on 4x5 can get the GG all in. Color film rather than B+W is needed for separating tones as the contrast is low.
That hike into and especially out of the GG seemed a lot farther than 7 mi to me, maybe die to the sand, but also due to the heat in Oct and the climb out in the dark. There may be no water along the route, I'd suggest taking several quarts.
There are also other galleries on the way in, one high up on a W facing wall that'd work well only with a long tele straight on from the opposite side.
Much easier to get to and perhaps even stranger is Book Cliffs(Sego) near Thompson Springs.

[Peter York]

My bad, Ivan is right, the gallery faces East. Its been a long week.

[Peter York]

Kirk, I've mentioned to Chauncey Walden about trying to put together a trip to Coomb Ridge, maybe even Cedar Mesa, sometime. There are some amazing sites to see there, all relatively short hikes (2-6 mi.). I could guide a group, and since I'm 37 I can mule some equip. for folks, if we have enough 4x4's. Let me know if you are interested.

[Kirk Gittings]

I don't know about that. It seems like saying that bed-sheet size photographs are the first great artistic expression of the photographic arts. They are big, they are relatively archival, but the "first great..." is ignoring song, story-telling, basket-making and pottery as important forms of art. I would love to see this someday, but have little interest in photographing them...but I do not have the more recent connection of being a descendent of those who came over to the Americas prior to the Europeans. Though of course we all are related back there in time somewhere.

I made a few photographs of rock art in Australia, but have no intention of showing them as my art...but still pretty neat stuff.

If it wasn't totally obvious that I was talking about the visual arts let me state it. Visual Arts. By the way this is not my personal revelation-it came from Pre-Columbian art historians. The only thing early that is comparable is Olmec in Mexico but it at most is 2000 years ago-no where near as old as this work might be. Most of this work is pre-pottery and pottery did not flourish graphically till much later and basketry was pretty utilitarian then too. So if this work is as old as as many experts think, it pretty much stands alone in the mid to late archaic period. Mayan, Aztec, Mimbres, Chaco, Hohokam, Casas Grandes, Cahokian-all with great art traditions-all came much later.

[Kirk Gittings]

Kirk, I've mentioned to Chauncey Walden about trying to put together a trip to Coomb Ridge, maybe even Cedar Mesa, sometime. There are some amazing sites to see there, all relatively short hikes (2-6 mi.). I could guide a group, and since I'm 37 I can mule some equip. for folks, if we have enough 4x4's. Let me know if you are interested.

I'd be up for it in the abstract-no idea for a given time. Work is so scarce that I'd have to take it if it came along. I also have another artist residency in the spring too-though I don't have a firm date yet.

[Kirk Gittings]

I made a few photographs of rock art in Australia, but have no intention of showing them as my art...but still pretty neat stuff.

Pardon me if I am reading too much into this statement. What are you trying to say here? That they are not great images or that one can't photograph others art work and make it their own? Could be an interesting discussion. From my point of view photographing architecture commercially and personally, I am always photographing someone else's art work one way or another regardless of whether it is pre-historic, historic or contemporary. I am never really documenting anything, but interpreting others art work and it is in that interpretation where my art oftentimes lies.

[Kirk Gittings]

Here I am while doing my residency at Canyon of the Ancients (like a pig in shit!). Photo courtesy of the Bureau of Land Management, Wayne Rice photographer. If I could make enough of a living shooting archeology, I woud do little else.

[austin granger]

If I could make enough of a living shooting archeology, I woud do little else.

I like to nominate myself as your assistant if you get that gig. Seriously, if you are reading this and you are a Wealthy Patron/Archeologist/Adventurer, I want you to know that I'm available for assignment-send me somewhere! Anywhere!

It seems to me that in some sense, everything we photograph is someone/something else's work.