Throughout the construction of the new Los Angeles County High Desert Regional Health Center, two artists endeavored to understand and reflect on the Antelope Valley community through an artwork that supports a healing environment while harmonizing with the building’s architecture.
Antelope Valley native and internationally renowned artist Brad Howe created
One Desert Sky. The artwork was inspired by the distinct stories of Antelope Valley community members collected through a series of artist initiated participatory activities prior to the opening of the High Desert Regional Health Center in 2014. Produced by artist Rebecca Niederlander, the activities engaged nearly 500 Antelope Valley community members and stimulated open conversations revealing diverse cultural perceptions that influenced Howe’s artwork. The activities culminated in an artwork naming contest administered by the Lancaster Museum of Art and History from which the winning title, submitted by an Antelope Valley resident,
One Desert Sky was selected by the artist from over 100 entries.
One Desert Sky converts the voices of Antelope Valley residents into icons and symbols that the viewer’s eye may string together as the pieces move and intersect with one another. Representing a collaboration on multiple levels,
One Desert Sky’s 8,000 laser cut aluminum pieces were individually attached to metal rods, spray painted with automotive paint and hand assembled by a team of six in Howe’s studio. The fabrication process took over 3,600 hours.
Brad Howe, born in the Antelope Valley, is a Los Angeles-based sculptor with work in collections world-wide including Samsung Corporation, UCLA Anderson School of Business, and Mexico City Ministry of Business and Trade Building. He has been described by art critic Peter Frank as “one of America’s wittiest and most versatile makers of public art.” Howe is represented by Katherine Cone Gallery in Los Angeles as well as various national and international galleries.
Rebecca Niederlander is a Los Angeles-based visual artist whose practice includes sculpture, print-making, drawing and social practice. Her most recent work includes an ongoing collaborative project with Iris Anna Regn titled BROODWORK: Creative Practice and Family Life which investigates the interweaving of creative practice and family life. Her solo exhibition at the Lancaster Museum of Art and History was titled, “Rebecca Niederlander: We are stardust, we are golden, and we have to find our way back to the garden.” Niederlander received her MFA from UCLA in 2000 and her BFA from California College of the Arts in 1997.
To learn more about the artists, go to:
Brad Howe: bradhowe.com
Rebecca Niederlander: becster.org
