Landers

Landers, California, stands as a pivotal junction of mysticism, extraterrestrial intrigue, and scientific exploration, primarily marked by the enigmatic presence of the Integratron and the colossal Giant Rock. This desert locale weaves a compelling narrative that spans ancient Native American spirituality to mid-20th-century UFO culture, providing a rich backdrop for the "Metallic Spheres" project. I spent 6 months traveling back and forth from Long Beach, to the Mojave Desert in my spare time, visiting, exploring and recording sites like The Integratron, Gaint Rock and the surrounding area. I was captivated by the local folk law and stories that intertwined with this enchanted area. The location is dry and arid, yet mystically sparse, allowing the color of the blue sky to fill your pilfery view and landmarks to focus your vision.

The Integratron, a brainchild of George Van Tassel—an aviation engineer turned UFO advocate—embodies a fusion of diverse influences. Built between 1957 and 1977, this unique, all-wood dome is positioned at a geomagnetic force intersection and was intended as an electrostatic generator for rejuvenation and time travel. Nearby, Giant Rock, the world's largest freestanding boulder, has served as a spiritual site for Native American tribes and a focal point for Van Tassel's Spacecraft Conventions, making it a beacon of extraterrestrial communication and broader UFO lore.

The surrounding Mojave Desert, inhabited by diverse Native American groups like the Pueblo, Pimans, Yumans, and Shoshonean tribes, offers a cultural backdrop that has long embraced celestial connections. Stories of the "Star People" or "Sky Gods" among these tribes suggest ancient extraterrestrial ties, paralleling Van Tassel's narratives of otherworldly guidance. This convergence of spirituality and extraterrestrial intrigue aligns with the vision of the "Metallic Spheres."

The Metallic Spheres, situated within the stark, mystical landscape of the Mojave, draw upon the area's rich tapestry of historical and cosmic significance. Each view is a vision of resonating with the vibrations of the land—a land that has been a conduit for messages from the stars and a canvas for ancient celestial wisdom. The placement of the Metallic Spheres in this desert expanse is a deliberate alignment with Landers' historical narrative of exploration and connection. In this context, the spheres become physical manifestations of the quest to bridge the terrestrial and the cosmic.

This selection of Landers as the setting for the Metallic Spheres weaves a new layer into the region's multifaceted story, focusing on the continuum of human curiosity and creativity—from ancient Native American reverence for the cosmos to Van Tassel's visionary endeavors into artifacts of contemporary artistic expressions and function. The Metallic Spheres pay homage to the past and carry forward Landers' legacy as a sacred space of cosmic inquiry and creative exploration.