Cadillac Ranch facts for kids
Cadillac Ranch is a famous outdoor art display in Amarillo, Texas, USA. It was created in 1974 by three artists: Chip Lord, Hudson Marquez, and Doug Michels. They were part of an art group called Ant Farm.
The artwork features ten Cadillac cars buried nose-first in the ground. These cars were made between 1949 and 1963. They show how the design of Cadillac cars, especially their cool tailfins, changed over the years.
How it Started
Chip Lord and Doug Michels were architects, which means they designed buildings. Hudson Marquez was an art student. The Ant Farm group wanted to try new and different ways of creating art and architecture.
Hudson Marquez got the idea for Cadillac Ranch from a book about cars. He loved Cadillacs and their tailfins. The artists found a rich art supporter named Stanley Marsh 3 in Amarillo. He agreed to help fund their unique project.
Moving Day
Cadillac Ranch was first built in a wheat field. But in 1997, it was moved about two miles (three kilometers) west. This new spot is in a cow pasture right next to Interstate 40. They moved it to keep it away from the growing city of Amarillo. Both locations belonged to Stanley Marsh 3, who supported many art projects in the city.
Your Turn to Paint!
You can easily see Cadillac Ranch from the highway. Even though it's on private land, visitors are welcome! You can walk right up to the cars.
One of the coolest things about Cadillac Ranch is that people are encouraged to draw or spray-paint on the cars. The cars have lost their original colors over time. Now, they are covered in colorful graffiti from all the visitors. The artists who created it actually wanted people to interact with the cars this way. They wanted it to be a monument where people could express themselves.
The cars are often repainted different colors. Sometimes they are painted for special events or just to give visitors a fresh canvas. For example, they were once painted white for a TV commercial. Another time, they were painted pink for Stanley Marsh's wife's birthday.
A Quick Fire
On September 8, 2019, one of the Cadillac cars was damaged by a fire.
Images for kids
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Disney California Adventure's "Cadillac Range"
