Opus 40 facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Opus 40
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | Fite Rd., Saugerties, NY |
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| Area | 14.1 acres (5.7 ha) |
| Built | 1939-1976 |
| Architect | Harvey Fite |
| NRHP reference No. | 01000238 |
| Added to NRHP | March 12, 2001 |
Opus 40 is a giant outdoor sculpture located in Saugerties, New York. It was created by an artist and stone worker named Harvey Fite (1903—1976). This amazing artwork is made from many ramps, platforms, and pedestals built using a special method called dry-stone construction. It covers about 6.5 acres of an old bluestone quarry.
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What is Opus 40?
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Harvey Fite was a professor of sculpture at Bard College. In 1938, he bought an old stone quarry. He planned to use the stone for his sculptures.
But then, he got an idea from working on ancient Mayan ruins in Honduras. He decided to create a special outdoor space. This space would show off the large stone statues he was making.
He used the leftover stones from the quarry. He built terraces, ramps, and walkways by hand. He used the same old tools that quarry workers used before him.
The Giant Stone Pillar
As Fite kept building, his outdoor gallery grew very large. A 1.5-ton statue he had placed in the center started to look too small. So, he found a huge 9.5-ton bluestone pillar in a nearby streambed.
He moved this giant stone to the center of his artwork in 1964. This was 25 years after he first started building. He planned to carve it, but then he realized something important.
His entire outdoor gallery had become a sculpture itself! It was a new kind of art where carved statues didn't quite fit. So, Fite moved his other sculptures to the surrounding areas. He spent the rest of his life working on this unique new art piece.
The Quarryman's Museum
In the early 1970s, after retiring from teaching, Fite built the Quarryman's Museum on the grounds. This museum shows old tools and items from the time when the quarry was active.
Around this time, people kept asking him to name his big artwork. He joked that composers just number their works, like "Opus One." So, he decided to call his work "Opus 40."
"Opus" is a Latin word meaning "work." The "40" came from the number of years he thought it would take him to finish the project.
Harvey Fite's Legacy
Sadly, Harvey Fite died on May 9, 1976. He fell accidentally while working on Opus 40. He was in the 37th year of his creation.
His death meant the work stopped, leaving some parts unfinished. But his stepson, Jonathan Richards, said that Opus 40 was "as complete as it ever would have been." It was a project that could only stop when Fite's life ended.
The next year, Fite's wife, Barbara Fite, created a group to take care of Opus 40. She opened it to the public to help pay for its upkeep. Barbara Fite passed away in 1987. Her family members still help guide the organization today.
Opus 40 is a popular place to visit. It also hosts weddings and concerts. In 2001, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as an important historical site.
Why is Opus 40 Important?
Many people have praised Opus 40. Brendan Gill, a writer for Architectural Digest, called it "one of the largest and most beguiling works of art on the entire continent." He also said it was "the greatest earthwork sculpture I have ever seen."
Harvey Fite was not part of the "Land Art" movement that became popular in the 1970s. But he is now seen as a pioneer, or an early leader, of this type of art. In 1977, the Hirshhorn Museum recognized him as a "forefather" of the earthworks movement.
Tributes to Opus 40
- A concert by jazz musician Sonny Rollins at Opus 40 in 1986 was filmed for a documentary.
- The band Mercury Rev recorded a song called "Opus 40" for their 1998 album.
- The music video for Amanda Palmer's song "Mother" was filmed at Opus 40 in 2017.
