Some have claimed that Wendover is centrally located in the middle of nowhere. If this is true, then nowhere is a complex and fascinating place indeed. The Center established The Wendover Residence Program in 1997, to bring selected people to Wendover to better understand this place, including the issues it raises and the activities it inspires, and what it might represent, on a local, national, global, and theoretical level. The Program exists to encourage new and compelling ways of thinking about the built landscape, and to develop interpretations of it, literal and otherwise, in any medium. It is open to anyone with interesting, constructive ideas, and an ability to see them through.
Residence benefits and responsibilities
Successful applicants to the residence program are given full use of the physical plant of the CLUI at Wendover, including a place to live (with a bedroom, bathroom, internet connection, and equipped kitchen), workshop (with basic shop tools), and our knowledge of the surrounding land and its people.
Occasionally stipends and project support are available, but applicants are encouraged to seek their own funding sources for project expenses and materials.
Residents generally stay for a period of three to six weeks, during which time they will be expected to conduct work that examines, engages, or reflects the land uses of the surrounding area. The duration of the residence does not need to be continuous. Some applicants may wish to make a preliminary reconnaissance visit to further acquaint themselves with the environs, though an orientation packet that describes the area is provided to all residents before arrival.
The CLUI encourages residents to create original work or documentation (photos, text, sketches, models, video, film, sculpture, etc.) during or soon after their tenure at Wendover, for display at the Center’s exhibit halls at Wendover, and, additionally, in CLUI literature, and possibly (with the artist / researcher’s permission) in traveling exhibits curated by the CLUI.
During their tenure in Wendover, residents are expected to care for CLUI exhibit and residence facilities. These activities include periodic docent duties at the Exhibit Halls, basic upkeep of the site, and maintaining the residence facilities as necessary. There is no janitorial service. Residents are expected to wash their own dishes, do their own laundry, take out the trash, and leave the place as they found it, or better, if possible.
This is not the typical romantic west
Applicants must be aware that the residence facilities are rustic, though in a modern way, and the area has harsh and unpredictable qualities that do not suit all palates (possible intrusive events in the area include aerial military activity, dust storms, drag racing, movie productions, etc.). The nearest large population center is Salt Lake City, 120 miles east on Interstate 80. Although the ethereal, desolate salt flats suggest isolation, one should not expect to find an idyllic retreat away from civilization. The residence site is at the edge of a small but booming gaming town. On the Nevada side are several active casino/hotel complexes, a golf course, and many new prefabricated homes for 6,000 inhabitants. The Utah side is poor, and is littered with weathered buildings, trailers, and debris from the old Airbase.
The meteorological climate of Wendover has been described as “the weather on drugs”. It is generally hot in the summer and freezing in the winter. The most comfortable times are in the fall and spring, though temperature fluctuations can be extreme. Rain storms can occur any time of year and be sudden and violent, with winds of hurricane force occasionally knocking trucks off the Interstate. The weather can also be moderate for weeks on end.
Bring a car if you can
It is generally recommended that residents bring an automobile with them for transportation and exploration of the surrounding area. Bicycles are available for working in the field, however, long distance travel on public roadways will require a car, as public transportation in the area is limited.
Still interested?
Submit a one page explanation of why you want to participate in the Wendover Residence Program, and what you plan to do when you get there. Be sure to include your name, address, email contact, phone number, and the proposed dates for your residency.
In addition to the essay, send a current resume or vitae, and documentation of your past work. Applications can be submitted in electronic format by email, or on CD/DVD, though printed material by regular mail is also acceptable. URL links to online portfolios/projects are also acceptable. If sending the application by email, please limit the application to one email message, with a file size of less than 10MB. Submissions are not acknowledged upon receipt. If you would like to confirm the arrival or status of your application, feel free to contact the CLUI by email. If you are sending film or video, please send it in an easily readable format. If you wish to have your work samples returned, you must include a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
The program operates seasonally, from April 1 to November 20. Though resident selections are made on an ongoing basis, with no deadlines, the sooner the application is sent, the more likely the requested time period will be available. A peer review committee meets approximately every four months to examine and comment on the applications.
This residency program is open to people of all disciplines, backgrounds, working methods, and levels of experience. Applications are welcome from collaborators or groups who wish to work together on projects. Selection is competitive.
Please send your application by email or by post to:
Wendover Residence Program Application
The Center for Land Use Interpretation
9331 Venice Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90232
USA
