Esoteric Survey

The Joshua Tree Retreat Center at the Ding Le Mei Institute of Mentalphysics, by Lloyd Wright and allegedly his father, Frank Lloyd Wright had something to do with it early on. The project was supposedly started by Frank and completed by Lloyd in 1946. FLW first designed Ding Le Mei's home, which is also on the property. His son Lloyd then came on to finish his father's designs for the rest of the buildings and oversaw the construction. There are older newspaper article's supporting this but many say that Frank had little or no real involvement in the project and Lloyd deserves all the credit.   “In the mountains of California, above the Mojave lies a plateau overlooking the desert, sloping to the East, facing the morning sun, into the West where San Gorgonio’s snow-capped peak reflects the glow of the setting sun. Here, The Institute of Mentalphysics is planning and building its city. Moved by a sense of the tranquil nobility and eternal beauty of the desert, I have pla...

Arizona Biltmore   The hotel was designed by Albert Chase McArthur,who studied under Frank Lloyd Wright. Back in the day Source: Arizona Biltmore The lobby, from above There's not too much (if any) original furniture left in the hotel.  A massive amount of Warren McArthur once filled this art deco wonderland. Source:  Arizona Biltmore Source:  Arizona Biltmore   This original pair of planters from the Biltmore, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and Warren McArthur, sold at Wright in 2012 for $27,500 One of these can be seen in the photo above, on the left.  Source:  Wright   An original table from the Biltmore, by Frank Lloyd Wright and Warren McArthur, sold at Wright in 2012 for $7,500 Source: Wright   The cottages on the resort grounds are pretty great The garden wing The pre-cast concrete"Biltmore Blocks" used to construct the resort were designed by Alb...

In 1971, Donald Judd rented a house in Marfa. Over the next two decades he would become a major force in this small Texas town.  Judd-related buildings dominate the center of town and land holdings by the Judd and Chinati foundations are in the hundred of thousand of acres. It's incredible how the vision of Judd and the investment by a few non-profit foundations have created a thriving economy based on art. It's difficult to i magine what Marfa would be like without Judd. Judd bought the Marfa bank in 1989. It became his Architecture Studio. Architecture Studio Building, Ground Floor Source: Donald Judd A Good Chaire is a Good Chair , Ikon Gallery Artillery Shed, Chinati Foundation In 1979, with assistance from the Dia Art Foundation , Judd bought 3 40 arc res of land , which included an abandoned Army base. The buildings ha ve been transformed into art spaces which now house permanent installations by Judd  and one of his best friends...