Canyon Skywalk, 2013

David Jin, an entrepreneur who had been involved with tourism and the Hualapai Nation for some time, had the idea of extending a platform out over the edge of the Grand Canyon. Opponents within the tribe viewed the project as disturbing sacred ground. People outside of the tribe, including Arizona environmental groups and former National Park officials, have expressed concern about the project's obtrusiveness in the natural environment, considering it a defacement of a national treasure. Eventually with the help of architect Mark Ross Johnson, Jin's idea evolved into a rectangular walkway and eventually into the "U"-shaped walkway that currrently exists today. The Skywalk was assembled on top of the canyon wall in line with its final placement and moved into final position by a jack and roll rig. The Skywalk infrastructure itself weighs a little over 1,000,000 pounds (450,000 kg) without counterweights but including the tuned mass dampers, railing hardware, glass rails, glass deck and steel box beams. The skywalk attracts a reported 370,000 visitors per year. At the rim, I thought the canyon views were certainly as good as, or even more spectacular than those being offered by the skywalk. I opted out of viewing the canyon from what former Grand Canyon National Park superintendent Robert Arnberger described as, "the equivalent of an upscale carnival ride...... " Available as 8 x 11 or 11 x 17 b & w photo or watercolor print on Hahnemuhle Museum Etching Fine Art Inkjet Paper and each photograph is personally approved and hand-signed by me, the artist.