I haven’t been to Marfa, but it is very high on the list of places I want to visit. For years, I’ve heard about this town filled with mysterious lights and minimalist art in the middle of nowhere.
From all descriptions, Marfa feels like it shouldn’t exist. A high desert town with a population of about 1,800 people, it is hours from any major city. Despite its remote location, it has become a magnet for contemporary art, cosmically curious minds, and curious travelers.
Donald Judd, a minimalist artist, moved there in the 1970s and converted old military buildings into art installations. Today, the Chinati Foundation preserves his legacy with massive concrete sculptures scattered across a former army base.
Then there are the Marfa Lights. Various sources describe them as headlights, hallucinations, or something far less explainable.
Marfa offers more to stick around for. There are art galleries, quirky shops, and diners that serve high-end dishes. The “Ballroom” is a massive gallery of contemporary art. A Prada store installation sits alone on a highway shoulder, miles from anywhere you’d actually buy shoes.
I want to visit because it’s quirky and one-of-a-kind.
(Obviously, these aren’t my photos)