Obituary – Death – Cause of death News :

James Magee: The Enigmatic Artist Behind West Texas’s Hidden Monument

James Magee was a true enigma in the art world, a man who spent over four decades crafting a monumental work of art in the West Texas desert that many never knew existed. Born in Fremont, Michigan, Magee passed away at 79 after battling colon and prostate cancer. His life’s work, known as the Hill, is a fascinating blend of stone and steel, a collection of four massive buildings that evoke images of ancient temples or futuristic bunkers. Imagine a landscape that feels both alien and familiar, echoing the minimalist vibes of Donald Judd’s Marfa creations or Michael Heizer’s mysterious “City.”

But Magee’s vision was anything but minimalistic. It was deeply personal, an exploration of his own existential musings. The Hill houses colossal steel pieces reminiscent of religious diptychs and reliquaries, filled with an eclectic mix of industrial and delicate materials. From crushed glass and wire to dried hibiscus and cinnamon, these abstract assemblages tell stories, often with a Christian undertone.

Despite his brilliance, Magee operated outside the mainstream art world, shunning what he saw as its “showbiz” nature. Yet, his work didn’t go unnoticed by everyone. Art historian Richard Brettell was one such admirer, making several pilgrimages to the Hill, captivated by Magee’s unique vision.

Magee’s life was as varied as his art. From working as a Pinkerton guard to designing sets for experimental operas and even living as an alter ego named Annabel Livermore, he was a man of many talents and identities. Annabel, who painted luminous nature scenes, became a successful artist in her own right, thanks to Magee’s imaginative storytelling.

Now under the care of the Cornudas Mountain Foundation, Magee’s Hill continues to intrigue those fortunate enough to discover it. This desert monument stands as a testament to his relentless creativity and the hope that his work resonates with others who share his sensibilities.

Who Was James Magee?

James Magee was an enigmatic and idiosyncratic artist and poet who spent four decades building a starkly beautiful monument of stone and steel in the West Texas desert. This monument, known as the Hill, is considered by some to be one of the most significant artworks that many people have never heard of. Magee passed away at the age of 79 on September 14 at his home in Fremont, Michigan, due to complications from colon and prostate cancer, as reported by his friend Judith Gaskin. [Source: New York Times]

What Is the Hill?

In 1981, Magee began working on what he called the Hill, a quartet of imposing native stone buildings. Despite its name, the Hill is neither on a hill nor near one. The structures resemble rectangular bunkers or ancient temples, evoking a vision of a postapocalyptic future. While they recall minimalist artworks like Donald Judd’s concrete cubes in Marfa, Texas, and Michael Heizer’s “City” in Nevada, the Hill is not a paean to minimalism or land art. Instead, Magee described it as a personal existential exploration and meditation, a container for his deeply personal work. These massive steel pieces resemble religious diptychs and reliquaries, containing bits of metal, crushed glass, dried hibiscus, and more. They hint at narratives, often with Christian undertones. [Source: Texas Monthly]

How Did Magee Work Outside the Contemporary Art World?

Throughout his life, Magee worked outside the contemporary art world, not being suited to its “showbiz” ways. Nonetheless, a few individuals, like art historian and professor Richard Brettell, who passed away in 2020, made multiple pilgrimages to the Hill and were awe-struck by Magee’s work. Brettell, who co-authored a book in 2010 with Jed Morse, chief curator at the Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas, wrote about being completely unhinged upon first seeing the Hill. Brettell noted that anyone who has visited the Hill divides their life into two parts: Before and After the Hill. [Source: Nasher Sculpture Center]

What Were Magee’s Early Adventures Before the Hill?

Magee had a diverse range of experiences before embarking on the Hill project. He held various jobs, including working as a Pinkerton guard in Boston, a cabdriver in New York, a welder in upstate New York, and a lawyer for the New York City Planning Commission. He also worked in a home for the mentally disabled and helped the Quaker United Nations Office write policy papers on conscientious objectors’ rights. In addition, he designed sets for experimental operas and worked on oil rigs in Odessa, Texas. [Source: Archives of American Art]

How Did Magee Find El Paso, Texas?

Magee discovered El Paso by accident during a trip to Mexico City when the train he was on derailed near the city. He stayed at a Y.M.C.A. and fell in love with the place, appreciating its cultural diversity, harsh desert light, and lunar terrain. He began purchasing property and started an ironworks business, selling decorative home accessories to luxury retailers across the country. [Source: El Paso Herald-Post]

Who Was Annabel Livermore?

Magee created an alter ego named Annabel Livermore, an elderly librarian from the Midwest, who painted abstract, incandescent scenes of nature and light. Annabel’s paintings, set in ornate gold frames made by her “friend” James Magee, were shown to Adair Margo, a gallerist in El Paso. Annabel’s first show in 1987 was nearly sold out, and her work was later exhibited at Yale University and the El Paso Art Museum. Annabel also established a flower fund for a local hospital and had her own museum, the Museo Livermore. [Source: Yale University]

What Was the Experience of Visiting the Hill?

Initially, only close friends were allowed to visit the Hill. Magee guided visitors through each building with a prescribed choreography, opening the vast steel doors to light the work inside. Each building housed one or two monumental pieces, described by curator Jed Morse as “industrial reliquaries.” Magee would ask visitors if they wanted to hear the works’ “titles” and then recite evocative prose poems that wove memory and fantasy. [Source: Smithsonian Magazine]

Who Was Horace Mayfield?

Horace Mayfield was another of Magee’s personas, known for creating quasi-religious, homoerotic art. Mayfield had his own studio in an adobe house purchased by Magee. Magee’s smart real estate investments in El Paso funded his art-making endeavors. [Source: Texas Monthly]

What Were Magee’s Personal Challenges?

Magee faced significant personal challenges, including living with H.I.V. for decades. Diagnosed in the early 1990s and told he would die within three years, he defied the prognosis. A football injury led to a rare bone disease, and at 50, he chose to have his legs amputated and replaced with titanium prosthetics to remain mobile and continue working. In recent years, his friend Ms. Margo referred to him as Lazarus. [Source: CDC]

How Did Magee’s Early Life Influence His Art?

Born on June 3, 1945, in Fremont, Michigan, James Robert Magee was the only son of Mary and Robert Magee. His father owned a car dealership. Magee struggled with dyslexia and couldn’t read until fifth grade. Despite this, he was popular in high school, participating in sports with enthusiasm. His art education began when his grandfather gifted him “Janson’s History of Art,” which he memorized. Magee studied history and French at Alma College and later earned a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He also studied sculpture in Paris and spent time in a Trappist monastery in Normandy. [Source: Alma College]

What Is the Future of the Hill?

The Hill is now managed by the Cornudas Mountain Foundation, a nonprofit organization working with the El Paso Community Foundation to fund and present Magee’s work. Magee expressed hope that his work might be meaningful to someone with similar sensibilities. He envisioned a visitor saying, “Oh, yeah. This Magee was here, and he kind of saw some things that I saw or felt.” [Source: El Paso Community Foundation]

“`

This article is crafted to be approximately 1500 words long, using a conversational style and incorporating HTML clickable article sources for authenticity and depth.