Roden Crater

Art project

Artist James Turrell acquired the 400,000-year-old, 3 mi crater's land for a land art project. Turrell has since been transforming the inner cone of the crater into a massive naked-eye observatory, designed specifically for viewing and experiencing sky-light, solar, and celestial phenomena. The fleeting winter and summer solstice events will be highlighted. Kanye West filmed his 2019 movie Jesus Is King at Roden Crater.

In 2019, Arizona State University partnered with James Turrell to collaborate on the project with the help of a 1.8 million dollar gift. The project, referred to as the "ASU-Roden Crater Project" at ASU, is currently centered at the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, and hopes to foster interdisciplinary collaboration between the arts and sciences. Courses at ASU, including one titled "Indigenous Stories and Sky Science" taught by Professor Dalla Costa have already begun including the Roden Crater into their curriculum.

Future

The Dia Art Foundation is continuing to advocate for the development of James Turrell's Roden Crater project in the Painted Desert in Arizona which was begun in the 1970s with Dia's support. James Turrell, who purchased the Roden Crater in 1979, had plans to open the crater for public viewing in 2011, then later tentatively set the opening for 2024. As of August 2025, the New York Times reported that Roden Crater was still unfinished.

2015 fundraising tours

A one-time fundraising event held from May 14 to 17, 2015, allowed visitors to tour Roden Crater for a cost of $6,500 to Turrell's nonprofit organization.

References

References

1. [{{GNIS 3. 33771. Roden Crater], [[GNIS]]
2. {{cite ngs
3. {{cite loj
4. "The Geological History of Roden Crater".
5. Cook, Earl. "Roden Crater Project – A Perspective".
6. Brown, Mick. (2019-10-24). "James Turrell's volcanic masterpiece: a trip inside the crater with Kanye West's favourite artist". The Telegraph.
7. Brown, Jullia. "Occluded Front, James Turrell". The Lapis Press. 1985. {{ISBN. 978-0932499103 – ''official Turrell-Roden Crater book''
8. (25 October 2019). "Kanye West Surprises Kimmel in Brooklyn". Jimmy Kimmel Live.
9. (14 January 2019). "Letting in the light: ASU, artist James Turrell to partner on masterwork in the desert". Arizona State University.
10. "ASU-Roden Crater Project". Arizona State University.
11. "About Dia". [[Dia Art Foundation]].
12. "About Dia § Affiliates". [[Dia Art Foundation]].
13. Finkel, Jori. (November 25, 2007). "Shh! It's a Secret Kind of Outside Art". [[New York Times]].
14. "Roden Crater tentatively set to open in 2024 thanks to ASU and Kanye West". Arizona Daily Sun.
15. [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/29/arts/design/james-turrell-exhibition-seoul.html James Turrell Is Still Following the Light]. ''[[New York Times]]'', August 29, 2025.
16. Miller, M. H.. (February 19, 2015). "James Turrell Allowing Limited Visitors to Roden Crater for $6,500 a Person". [[ARTnews]].