Publisher's Synopsis
The ongoing project that Steve and Nancy Oliver have developed over the last 30 years has no obvious parallel in the history of art collecting. Beginning in 1985, their ranch in Northern California has been the site for dozens of commissions, site-specific and permanent outdoor works, by some of the most significant artists of the twentieth century. The likes of Bruce Nauman, Richard Serra, Ann Hamilton, Martin Puryear, Andy Goldsworthy and many others have constructed works, with the active support of the Olivers. Oliver Ranch is the first published look at one of the greatest collections of outdoor sculpture in the world (open to the public only during the fall and spring for organized groups). Including a major essay plus individual texts on each commission by Joan Simon, and filled with interviews, artist statements, plans, archival photographs and stunning new photography, this book charts the history of the project through each commission, through the eyes of the artists and the Olivers.
