Opus 40 Saugerties, New York. This is a monumental environmental sculpture rising out of an abandoned bluestone quarry. It covers more than six acres and is made of hundreds of thousands of tons of finely fitted bluestone, constructed stone by stone by the work of one man: Sculptor Harvey Fite.
You can walk through, around and over it, from the recesses of the lower pathways, around pools and fountains and up to the nine-ton monolith that is the center of Opus 40.
This structure is so massive that it's impossible to capture with the camera--you must experience it first-hand.
Throughout the grounds, as here by this pool, Fite's sculptures have their home. This is The Bather and the statue on the other side of the pool by the fountain is named Child.
I should have taken more time with this photo--just one quick shot and I was off. This is named the Seated Pyramid. It is actually a bench where you can sit overlooking a pond with the Opus 40 in the foreground. It is treated wood and a distorted mirror--simple and amazing.
"Tomorrow" stands guard over a second pool near the residence.
This is one of the subterranean passageways where you can see the construction of the piece. There is no mortar--only stone holding stone and each one put in place by one man, Harvey Fite.
Another passageway leading to another stairway--shown below
There are two memorial stones near the entrance ramp bearing the artist's name and dates, along with one for his wife, Barbara. Their ashes were scattered over the sculpture. Harvey Fite was tragically killed when he fell into the quarry after working on this piece for 37 years, leaving it 3 years short of completion.
There is also a museum on site that contains more of Fite's work as well as quarrying equipment and tools. The Fite residence that you can see in the rear of the second photograph is still occupied by his family. What an awesome place to visit.
