Artists and curators have been siting their work in unconventional places for decades—subway cars, bus shelters, disused buildings, public parks. But a ski slope? That may be a new one. The Powder Mountain resort, in northern Utah’s Ogden Valley, is soon to be the home of large-scale sculptures and land art by superstar artists Jenny Holzer and James Turrell, with more to come.

Established 1972, Powder Mountain is spread out over some 12,000 acres, making it one of the largest ski resorts in North America. Netflix co-founder and ex-CEO Reed Hastings became majority owner this last fall with a $100 million investment, and is now making moves as its chairman. It lies just over an hour’s dive north of Salt Lake City International Airport and is, per Forbes, “the rare resort that has the unusual and welcome policy of capping day passes and season pass sales to provide an uncrowded ski experience.”

Hastings has commissioned architecture partners with some real firepower to spruce it up. Reed Hilderbrand, whose CV includes New York State’s Storm King Art Center, is handling the landscape architecture, while Johnston Marklee, the firm responsible for the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, will design a visitor center. Both firms will collaborate on the master plan.

Powder Mountain CEO Reed Hastings. Photo: Alex Goodlett.

“At Powder, we want every experience—from the ski resort to the residential community to the outdoor art museum—to be intentional, and the integration of art into the mountain is a manifestation of that consideration,” Hastings explained in a press release. “We aim to transform Powder into a multi-season destination that blends recreation, art, and meaningful connection for our entire community.” 

The first round of works has already been acquired. Turrell’s installation Ganzfeld Apani (2011), commissioned for the 2011 Venice Biennale, will take up residence in a trailside pavilion. Text engravings on rock by Jenny Holzer will also appear.

James Turrell, Ganzfeld Apani (2011). Photo: Florian Holzherr.

And there’s much more to come after those. The team is still choosing a major Nancy Holt work, and Paul McCarthy, known for extremely challenging works (including, famously, an inflatable sculpture of a sex toy in Paris), will also create an immersive installation. “I grew up in Utah, and the influence of Utah and its mountains has been a critical part of my work,” says the artist explains in the press material. “A core subject, sitting in both my subconscious and conscious mind.”

Independent curator Matthew Thompson, director of Powder’s arts program, hatched the plan alongside Powder’s chief creative officer Alex Zhang and the newly appointed Los Angeles County Museum of Art curator of contemporary art Diana Nawi.

“The curatorial vision is rooted in the intentional integration of art into the landscape and the seasonal rhythms of the mountain, drawing deep connections to the legacy and enduring influence of the historical land art projects of the American West,” said Thompson.

Zhang actually learned to ski at Powder seven years ago, and the sport has since become one of his great passions. “I always found it be spectacular, expansive, untouched place,” he said. When a former colleague introduced him to Hastings at a TED Talk, they began discussing what could be done there. 

Susan Philipsz, We’ll All Go Together (2009). Photo: Drew Rane/Carson.

There is considerably more freedom at the privately owned Powder than there would be on any other ski slope in America, Zhang explained, since all the others are leased from the Bureau of Land Management, which wouldn’t allow this kind of project.

“I’ve always enjoyed working with artists and the way that destination overlaps with art at sites like Inhotim or Storm King, which are really dynamic and a way to recontextualize art outside the white walls of a gallery or museum,” he said. Also inspiring was the famed public art installation at Naoshima, in Japan, where Zhang took Hastings and the resort’s leadership team. “Everyone’s minds were blown. Naoshima is the pinnacle of when art intersects with landscape and architecture.” 

Powder Mountain at sunset. Photo: Paul Bundy.

Several other artists have been named. EJ Hill made a splash in the fourth “Made in L.A.” biennial at the Hammer Museum in 2018, as well as with his functional rollercoaster at Mass MoCA. On tap for future commissions are Nikita Gale, Raven Halfmoon, Venice Biennale Golden Lion winner Arthur Jafa, Gala Porras-Kim, and Davina Semo.

And if you love art, but are not a skier? Not to worry. Powder is also hikable and bikable during the summer and fall seasons.