Walter de Maria

1935 (Albany, Calif.) – 2013 (Los Angeles)

De Maria’s condensed practice has produced iconic works of land art and sculptural installation. Young was a particularly close friend, in California then in New York, and occasional collaborator. Friendships with Morris and Rainer (for over a year, de Maria and Morris saw each other daily, while constructing boxes) also extended from West Coast to East; he also worked with both. He nearly formed a band with Cale and Riley, drummed for an early line-up of the Velvet Underground (before Warhol tried to co-opt him and Young in a rock group), and was art-world friends with Andre, LeWitt and Flavin.

Walter de Maria knew…