Train Wreck Or Art? What Is This ‘Thing’ In Marfa, Texas?

I have been planning a big trip to Big Bend, Texas for a long time now and hopefully, 2024 is going to be the year... fingers are crossed. A small but significant part of that trip will be after leaving the Big Bend area I would like to experience the mysterious Marfa Lights, near Marfa, Texas, population 1750, not including paranormal entities of course. But now I see there may be other reasons to go to Marfa, they call it, art. 

When I first saw the photo I thought it was a train derailment but I quickly noticed they weren't rail cars but rather they were shipping containers. Plus they looked like they were placed in those positions. Why would anyone do that you ask? I thought the same thing. Turns out this display is considered a rather large art sculpture titled, "Sleeping Figure".

Look closer, you see it don't you? It took me a sec but I got it.

The art piece was put on display in the West Texas desert near Marfa to be a part of an art display called "Marfa Invitational", part of a new art fair that debuted there earlier this year founded by artist and gallery owner Michael Phelan.

Matt Johnson is the artist responsible for the giant "Sleeping Figure" which has caused quite a controversy in the small West Texas desert community. You can read more about it in this article from the Big Bend Times.

I'm certainly no modern art critic but anyone who plays with shipping containers like they were blocks is ok by me.

Marfa is not exactly a day trip for those of us who live in East Texas, more like a 2-day trip. But Marfa is still on my list of places to see during my "Epic Western Adventure #2 - Big Bend Edition" trip coming soon.

Other stops on EWA#2 will include Fort Davis, the tallest peak in Texas up in the Guadalupe Mountains, Carlsbad Caverns, and you guessed it, Roswell, New Mexico... because yes, I am.

Don't worry, I'll take my tin foil hat.

There is way more to do and see in Marfa than I ever dreamed, this family's YouTube channel called "Uncharted Texans" was filmed about a year ago. Nice job y'all.

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