Art enthusiasts can visit an unusual attraction, gaze at a mound of dirt, and enjoy the scent of earth, but they are prohibited from stepping on or even touching the dirt.
The Earth Room in New York at 141 Wooster Street is a unique NYC attraction created in 1977 by local artist Walter De Maria, who filled an apartment with 140 tons of dirt.
Comprising 250 cubic meters of fertile soil spread across the floor of a second-floor apartment in a building on Wooster Street, The Earth Room in New York is one of the most unusual art attractions in NYC.
The Dia Art Foundation commissioned local artist Walter De Maria to create it in 1977, and it opened to the public in 1980.
De Maria had previously created two other earth rooms in Germany, but the one in New York is the only one that exists today.
Art lovers can visit this unusual attraction, gaze at the mound of dirt, and enjoy the scent of earth, but they are prohibited from stepping on or even touching the dirt.
The room filled with dirt.
Believe it or not, maintaining 140 tons of dirt in pristine condition for an extended period is much harder than you might imagine, making the caretakers of this artwork invaluable.
They regularly water the soil, rake it periodically, and ensure that any mushrooms that occasionally sprout from the dirt are removed.
Bill Dilworth, who oversees the room, has been answering visitor questions since 1989. He spends his days sitting at a table, counting visitors, answering questions, and appearing somewhat mysterious. Don’t ask him what message Walter De Maria intended to convey.
“People always wonder what it means, but the artist never attached any meaning to it,” Dilworth, a self-described artist, told Gothamist. “So, I think what I really want people to know is that they don’t have to know anything about the piece.”
Atlas Obscura claims that The Earth Room in New York is estimated to be worth at least one million dollars, which sounds like a lot, but is actually modest compared to the price of the space it occupies.
Fortunately, the Dia Art Foundation was able to purchase the room at a good price in the 1970s, as Soho’s prices have nearly doubled since the 1980s.
You might be tempted to think that few people would be willing to visit a large attic filled with dirt, but you would be mistaken. Up to 100 people visit this unique artwork each day when the room is open (it closes every summer).
Just keep in mind that photography of the dirt-filled room is not allowed, per the artist’s wishes.
