Edward Ranney, a native of Chicago, received a B.A. in English and Spanish Literature from Yale University and traveled to Peru on a Fulbright Fellowship for anthropological and literary fieldwork. Captivated by Incan stonework he began an annual photographic pilgrimage to Peru, resulting in a substantial body of work devoted to pre-Columbian art and architecture. Ranney also has photographed extensively in the American Southwest, particularly in New Mexico, where he has made his home since 1970. These images follow the history of settlement in the region, from the remains of Native American sites that quietly populate the desert, to villages of Hispanic ancestry, to the water and power grid that now shapes much of the contemporary West). In 1979, Ranney began an ongoing collaboration with the artist Charles Ross, documenting the evolution of Ross’ earthwork sculpture, Star Axis.
Reflective Questions and Activities:
| E/S | Star Axis is a monumental naked-eye celestial observatory being carved into a cliff face in eastern New Mexico. Its chambers and tunnel provide places to experience Earth's spins in different time frames. Visit the artist’s website at: http://www.staraxis.org/ to see what he is doing and explore the significance of his work. Star Axis will soon be open to the public. |