ALONG with sand and shining blue water at the Santa Monica Pier, now comes the strange vision of huge walls of stacked shipping containers, staggered like so many Lego blocks to let in squares of light, and all in a parking lot usually frequented by beachgoers.
Perhaps the containers are for shipping, one thinks. After all, this \o7is\f7 the Pacific Ocean.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Thursday December 01, 2005 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 68 words Type of Material: Correction
Nomadic Museum -- An article in Friday's Calendar section about the Nomadic Museum said children younger than 12 would be admitted free. Children 6 and younger will be admitted free. The article also said there would be seating for 800 to view the "Ashes and Snow" film in the museum. Although the viewing area will accommodate up to 800 people, there will be only about 100 seats provided.
The reddish-colored behemoths, however, are not here for sea transport but to make up the walls of a portable gallery, the Nomadic Museum.
The temporary structure designed by Japanese architect Shigeru Ban will house "Ashes and Snow," an exhibition of photographs and other works by Gregory Colbert that will go on display in the space Jan. 14 through May 14.
The construction is adjacent to the pier in the same parking lot where the familiar yellow and blue Big Top tent takes up residence for occasional engagements for Cirque du Soleil.
But in its unfinished state, the thing is more of a Cirque du "Say what?"
On the day before Thanksgiving, yellow forklift trucks driven by men in white hardhats were busy transporting still more shipping containers across the parking lot from a holding area nearby, dodging cars and bicycles as well as foot traffic headed for the sand.
As described in its catalog, "Ashes and Snow" is the artist's "lifelong ongoing project that weaves together more than one hundred photographic artworks, a film, art installations, and a novel in letters."
The works, the catalog says, represent "a patient exploration of animals in their natural habitat as they interact with human beings" observed by Colbert during more than 30 expeditions to India, Egypt, Sri Lanka, Africa and other locations.
According to publicist Charles Windisch-Graetz, tickets to the Santa Monica show will cost $15, with free admission for children younger than 12.
A spokesman for the project says the artist plans for the exhibition, along with the Nomadic Museum, to tour the United States, South America, Asia and Europe for 10 years.
The traveling exhibition is organized by a company founded by artist Colbert, Flying Elephant Productions. Its president is environmentalist Paul Hawken, co-founder of the Smith & Hawken garden store chain and Erewhon natural foods markets. The tour is funded by the artist and a contribution from Rolex Institute, the philanthropic arm of Rolex SA.
