“Blocks scattered on a lawn like a child’s playthings.” That’s how some describe La Jolla Project. This monumental public artwork was created in 1984 by environmental artist Richard Fleischner.
La Jolla Project often called Stonehenge by students is located on the Revelle College lawn. It sits south of Galbraith Hall at UC San Diego. The artwork is part of the Stuart Collection. Fleischner explored how architectural forms could integrate into nature.
The La Jolla Project comprises seventy-one blocks of pink and gray granite. These stones are arranged in ways that suggest posts lintels and columns. Arches windows doorways and thresholds are also represented. The artist aimed to transform an ordinary lawn into a space filled with meaning. He wanted to evoke feelings of ancient ruins and contemporary construction sites.
The stones for La Jolla Project came from New England. They were cut near Providence Rhode Island where Fleischner lived. The artist considers the site’s topography and spatial relationships. He also considers how people move around it. Fleischner uses minimal means to define natural lines and boundaries. He establishes an interplay of horizontal and vertical elements.
There is no single way to experience La Jolla Project. It creates a complex web of spatial and historical relationships. It invigorates an area that was once undefined. Some say walking around La Jolla Project feels like entering another world. It feels different from ordinary space and time. The abstract forms seem to materialize in a familiar park.
The arrangement might appear simple. But much human calculation and labor went into its creation. These basic shapes remind us that all architecture can be broken down. It can be broken down into rudimentary geometric forms. The artist invites us to wander through this mazy construction. He wants us to arrive at our own conclusions about La Jolla Project.
So as you stand here what do you see? Do you see a scattering of stones? Or do you see an invitation to explore space and time? Perhaps you see a playful reimagining of ancient architectural forms. The La Jolla Project is more than just art. It is a place for reflection conversation and connection.