Prada Marfa — Attraction in Van Horn

Incredibly mediocre and quite a drive for a poignant if derivative art piece. Worthwhile internal intellectual dissection does not translate into being a conversation piece, however; and this item has, like much of Marfa, become overly commercialized and saturated with scenesterism.

Note: visitors may affix a personalized lock to a fence behind the structure. The locks on the rear fence, while a nice personalized touch, speak to exactly what the artists were commentating upon, however.

Never shall I forget the ironic presence when I was there of a gaggle of incredibly annoying women with voices akin to wailing banshees and aggrieved witches, afflicted by the ghosts of Solipsism and intense need for social media-driven validation, posing for hundreds of pictures; affirming to one another the quality and quantity of the pictures taken, so as to assure one another their need for attention will be satisfied, based upon the premise of having obtained an adequate capture of perceived fun and cultivation.

"Where are you guys heading? Heehee. See you in Marfaaa!" quipped one, in between giggles, after she enlisted my girlfriend to take pictures of her and her group. To quote another, "Girl, don't worry! I literally took over a hundred pictures of you!" Yes. Yes, I am indeed sure she did. And this is what Marfa (and art) has largely become. Perhaps the slow, drawn out, painful death pf art is art in and of itself; and the presence of these revelers was, in a sense, live action performing art; if...

This is definitely a "What the #*&$" kind of a thing to see in the true MIDDLE OF NOWHERE!!!! The first time I saw it everyone in the car was asleep (what else do you do riding in a car in the middle of nowhere) when I hit the brakes to make a quick U turn. Everybody asked if we were ok and I said that I thought I had seen something odd on the side of the road. When we pulled up in front of it there were no words. Lots of open mouths and silence. From what I have been able to asertain, this is a "Public Art" project that was sponsored by the city of Marfa, Texas and is designed to mimic an actual European Prada store. There are real Prada shoes on display (only one of each to deter thievery) along with a few purses. On this trip by I decided to take a picture and it was amazing. I was tired and just wanted a picture to show a friend. When I came to a full stop and put my drivers side window down (Yes, I stopped on the traffic lane of HWY-90 and took the picture. Remember, this really is the middle of nowhere!) I got this amazing picture of a very well dressed woman taking a picture of another very well dressed woman in front of the fake Prada store like they were hanging out in Paris! If you ever find yourself in this particular piece of the middle of nowhere, you should check it out. Maybe even pull over and stop instead of stopping on a US Highway....

On a trip to California I made a detour to see the infamous Prada Marfa. Driving to the exhibit I drove through the adorable town of Marfa, and made it to the site just after a storm swept through the desert. The first thing that struck me upon getting out of my car was how quiet it was. I live in Austin, and am constantly surrounded by noise. Buses, planes, loud neighbors. But here on this lonely stretch of highway it was absolute silence. You can hear cars approach from over a mile away. If you're lucky enough to get there when no other tourists are around you can truly appreciate the artist's intent of juxtaposing a luxury store against the lonely desert backdrop. An excellent commentary on the fleeting glamour of the fashion world versus timeless and ever-changing nature. The site is beginning to decay, awnings ripped and fluttering against the wind, the glass caked with dust and mud and fingerprints, graffiti scrawled on the walls.

I stood across the road from Prada for nearly half an hour, breathing in the copper scent of the earth after the rain mixed with my own (prada) perfume. It was a deeply emotional experience for me and count it as a must visit for anyone driving...