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Dennis Oppenheim's description of the environment work.

Missoula, Montana. Painted wooden star units. 4' x 4' each - covering 4 acres. This piece was created when I was invited to the University of Montana in Missoula for a two week visiting artist's program. After exploring the town and activities, it occurred to me that this was a very isolated, Utopian Village. The inhabitants all seemed to be very health conscious, idealistic, with little concern for anything outside their peaceful environment. This was a very personal piece, manifesting an urge to bring the content, and substance, "wishing madness" into a region which was in dire need of it. The approximately 550 41 diameter wooden stars painting in different colors, but mostly silver, were randomly scatter from trucks in three different areas.


DimensionsOverall: 54 3/4 × 237 5/8 in. (139.1 × 603.6 cm)
Frame (a, c, e, f): 31 1/8 × 41 1/8 × 2 in. (79.1 × 104.5 × 5.1 cm)
Image (a, c, e, f, visual): 29 1/2 × 39 5/8 in. (74.9 × 100.6 cm)
Frame (b): 33 1/8 × 41 × 2 in. (84.1 × 104.1 × 5.1 cm)
Image (b, visual): 31 5/8 × 39 1/2 in. (80.3 × 100.3 cm)
Frame (d): 46 1/2 × 47 3/4 × 2 in. (118.1 × 121.3 × 5.1 cm)
Image (d, visual): 45 × 46 1/4 in. (114.3 × 117.5 cm)
Accession Number 1996.28.a-.f
Classificationsphotograph
Copyright© Dennis Oppenheim
Wishing the Mountains Madness
Image Not Available for Wishing the Mountains Madness
Photo Credit: Rich Sanders, Des Moines
Dennis Oppenheim
1970
Photo Credit: Michael Tropea, Chicago
Dennis Oppenheim
1974-1996
Photo Credit: Rich Sanders, Des Moines
Dennis Kardon
1981
Photo Credit: Michael Tropea, Chicago
Donald Sultan
1984
Photo Credit: Rich Sanders, Des Moines
Eugène Delacroix
1836-1843
Photo Credit: Rich Sanders, Des Moines
Henri Gabriel Ibels
ca. 1897