ebook img

Playa Works: The Myth Of The Empty PDF

233 Pages·2002·1.615 MB·English
Save to my drive
Quick download
Download

Download Playa Works: The Myth Of The Empty PDF Free - Full Version

by William L. Fox| 2002| 233 pages| 1.615| English

About Playa Works: The Myth Of The Empty

Writer-poet William L. Fox has spent much of his career contemplating the complex ways that landscape, human cognition, and history collide to create our perceptions and treatment of place. In PLAYA WORKS, Fox considers the West's emptiest spaces-the playas, or dry beds, of the ancient lakes that once filled much of the Great Basin. Among the flattest, most barren places on the planet, the West's playas have haunted the American imagination since the Frémont expedition first surveyed them in the early nineteenth century. The human psyche, Fox maintains, is ill suited to contend with playas. Humankind evolved in the tree-and-grassland environment of the African savannahs, and our powers of visual cognition suffer acute dissonance in the featureless void of the playa. Consequently, our relationship to these spaces has been fraught with uneasiness and misunderstanding, sometimes resulting in death and destruction, sometimes inspiring remarkable art. In the eight brilliant essays that comprise this book, Fox explores many of the major playas of the American West, examining locations as diverse as Nellis Air Force Base and Frenchman Flat, where the federal government has tested experimental aircraft and atomic weaponry; the Great Salt Lake Desert, where land-speed records have been broken; and the Black Rock Desert of Northern Nevada, site of the colorful Burning Man arts festival. He analyzes the geological and climatological conditions that created the playas and the historical role that playas played in the exploration and settlement of the West. And he offers lucid and keenly perceptive discussions of the ways that artists have responded to the playas, from the ancient makers of geoglyphs to the work of contemporary artists who have found inspiration in these enigmatic spaces, including earthworks builder Michael Heizer, photographer Richard Misrach, and painter Michael Moore. The ensemble is a compelling combination of natural history, philosophy, and art criticism, a thoughtful meditation on humankind's aversion to and fascination with the void. In PLAYA WORKS, Fox's passion for the American West combines with his scholar's curiosity and power of analysis to produce one of the most engaging discussions yet of the natural phenomena that we call playas. This is nature writing at its best-provocative, profound, richly intelligent, and delightfully adventurous.

Detailed Information

Author:William L. Fox
Publication Year:2002
ISBN:9780874175516
Pages:233
Language:English
File Size:1.615
Format:PDF
Price:FREE
Download Free PDF

Safe & Secure Download - No registration required

Why Choose PDFdrive for Your Free Playa Works: The Myth Of The Empty Download?

  • 100% Free: No hidden fees or subscriptions required for one book every day.
  • No Registration: Immediate access is available without creating accounts for one book every day.
  • Safe and Secure: Clean downloads without malware or viruses
  • Multiple Formats: PDF, MOBI, Mpub,... optimized for all devices
  • Educational Resource: Supporting knowledge sharing and learning

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it really free to download Playa Works: The Myth Of The Empty PDF?

Yes, on https://PDFdrive.to you can download Playa Works: The Myth Of The Empty by William L. Fox completely free. We don't require any payment, subscription, or registration to access this PDF file. For 3 books every day.

How can I read Playa Works: The Myth Of The Empty on my mobile device?

After downloading Playa Works: The Myth Of The Empty PDF, you can open it with any PDF reader app on your phone or tablet. We recommend using Adobe Acrobat Reader, Apple Books, or Google Play Books for the best reading experience.

Is this the full version of Playa Works: The Myth Of The Empty?

Yes, this is the complete PDF version of Playa Works: The Myth Of The Empty by William L. Fox. You will be able to read the entire content as in the printed version without missing any pages.

Is it legal to download Playa Works: The Myth Of The Empty PDF for free?

https://PDFdrive.to provides links to free educational resources available online. We do not store any files on our servers. Please be aware of copyright laws in your country before downloading.

The materials shared are intended for research, educational, and personal use in accordance with fair use principles.