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Comment by dotsam | Hacker News Reader

I used to dream of being an artist, thinking it was an intrinsically noble endeavour. But after a lot of hard work and soul-searching of my own motivations, I eventually reframed my artistic pursuit as a means of solving the problems of 'how to get praise, attention, money and leave a legacy'. These are not bad things to want, but I felt like there were better and less self-indulgent ways of getting there than producing art.

A mega-sculpture in Nevada sounds extremely indulgent, and whilst the project seems to have solved many problems for the artist, I can't help but think that the $30 million endowment could have solved a lot more pressing problems elsewhere.

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> I can't help but think that the $30 million endowment could have solved a lot more pressing problems elsewhere

If you consider the construction used primarily on-site materials, it appears the money largely went into laborer's hands. It's not like the region is teeming with employment opportunities for those folks, and they surely didn't just set fire to their compensation. My guess is it fed and housed a bunch of area families, not a total waste - but sure, the labor could have built something more useful.

Now the area is a national monument and will draw tourism, creating jobs and growing the economy in a desert.

> The foundation has built a $30 million endowment to care for City.

The money is in an endowment for a charity to maintain the project, not for the costs of building it. Yes the money will pay for peoples' jobs, and yes it will bring tourism. But honestly, is this what the world really needs?

I know that this is an unpopular view, but such projects do seem hubristic when we are walking into a climate crisis. Particularly when it is built in a desert!

If I were the artist I would not be able to see $30 million go towards a charity for preserving my work, when the money could instead be put towards a charity that worked to ensure there is actually a longterm future for humankind (and therefore people to see and enjoy art for generations to come).

If you are capable of executing something this big, I think you are capable of aiming higher and going for a bigger positive impact on the world. So what I see is a lack of vision, not something awe-inspiring.

> City will soon begin to receive visitors on September 2, 2022. Only short day trips will be possible for a maximum of six visitors, with prior reservations only, and only in favorable weather. City is on private property in rural terrain, and it has no habitable structures. Visiting without a pre-arranged visit is thus potentially dangerous, and it is strictly prohibited and is trespassing.

http://tripleaughtfoundation.org/

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