Nagatani, Patrick. Unexcavated Last Location Site, Uluru (Ayers Rock), Central Australia - Journal Text (R30) , 1999. chromogenic (Fuji Crystal Archive) print, Image: 10 x 15 cm (3 15/16 x 5 7/8 in.); Paper: 10 x 15 cm (3 15/16 x 5 7/8 in.). Gift of George Stephanopoulos, 2011.286. Copyrighted.

Unexcavated Last Location Site, Uluru (Ayers Rock), Central Australia - Journal Text (R30)

1999

Patrick Nagatani

Patrick Nagatani (American, 1945–2017)

Photography

Unexcavated Last Location Site, Uluru (Ayers Rock), Central Australia - Journal Text (R30) , 1999. Patrick Nagatani (American, 1945–2017). Chromogenic (Fuji Crystal Archive) print; image: 10 x 15 cm (3 15/16 x 5 7/8 in.); paper: 10 x 15 cm (3 15/16 x 5 7/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of George Stephanopoulos 2011.286

Original Source

Maker/Artist: Nagatani, Patrick
Classification: Photograph
Formatted Medium: chromogenic (Fuji Crystal Archive) print
Medium: chromogenic, fuji, crystal, archive, print
Dimensions: Image: 10 x 15 cm (3 15/16 x 5 7/8 in.); Paper: 10 x 15 cm (3 15/16 x 5 7/8 in.)
Inscribed: Inscription: Signed, titled, dated and numbered 22/30 in ink in the margin Imprinted in black type on mount, below image: " Uluru Rock, Australia, May 17, 1999./How strange that we are barely together as a group after thirteen years. Each of us radically changed ./Our passions and emotions guide us more than our logic and scientific beliefs. We have attached a value system to our activities over these years. Now at the thirtieth and last map coordinates, Uluru Rock,/ perhaps we are no longer scientists. We are wondering if the ideological base of science should change./ A paradigm shift in thinking may be due for the scientificcommunity. Uluru Rock is a sacred Dreamtime site/for the Aborigines. The key to the sequence seems to be at Uluru, yet digging into the earth would be/similar to scarring the culture itself. After all of these excavations, we have come to the realization that one aspect of what we have learned is that the quest itself has revealed to us the value of mystery and /questioning. Rather than find an answer, the puzzle remains intact-and that is enough. We will not dig at /Uluru. Each of us has learned that the search for scientific truth and fact is perhaps leass important that the /existence and possibilities of the story. If fiction has given more to us than fact, then this is the greatest/truth. Our understanding of truth iss only shrouded by our understanding of time. Yhe idea of the artifact/revealing any kind of truth seems irrelevant. Why is it that the artifact proves the reality of any culture, or/even the excavation activity itself? Even our photographers are artifacts of representation. We are in awe of /the universe and the endless potential for stories that exist. Perhaps this is what the "ancient ones" who/ buried these automobiles and provided the location maps hoped the outcome would be ." Printed in black marker,at bottom of page: " UNEXCAVATED LAST LOCATION SITE, ULURU (AYERS ROCK), CENTRAL AUSTRALIA R30/(Asian symbol)+ / RYOICHI'S JOURNAL: ULURU ROCK, AUSTRALIA, MAY 17,1999 2001 27/30 PATRICK NAGATANI"
Departments: Photography
Accession Number: 2011.286
Credit Line: Gift of George Stephanopoulos
Exhibitions: Constructed Identities
Rights Statement: Copyrighted