For many years, I have been extremely impressed by Tal’s reach of vision and scale. We worked together on a number of sculptural projects, and I fabricated his kites for a decade. More than anyone else, he taught me that ‘anything goes’. A teacher as well as an artist, Tal had taught sculpture at SUNY Purchase for many years, and he understood the importance of passing on perspectives and skills to others. He particularly felt that kites could be a legitimate form of artistic expression and always urged others to view the sky as a 3 dimensional medium that touched every part of us and our world.

Tal and I had talked extensively about a special place to house and make available to others his collection of artifacts. After many discussions, we felt the vast New Mexico sky would best serve as the location for this unique museum and facility. A place at the far end of the sky. In 2011, I started the Friends of the Sky Foundation, a non profit artist foundation to preserve Tal’s work and vision. The Foundation compound, in Santa Fe, holds all of his writings, sculptures, maquettes and considerable international collection of kites and Asian artifacts, as well as an eclectic array of kite paraphernalia. His extensive book collection and development drawings are all preserved here, along with a huge number of photographs and films. Perhaps the most impressive are the spectacular painted kites by Japanese masters he acquired in the 70’s. Many of them are featured in his books. They are in excellent shape and now on display.

The Foundation was created by myself and my wife Fiona, and Tal’s family. Initial funding was raised by the sale of some artworks acquired by Tal and Romig from their artist friends in the New York art world in the 60’s. The rest of the funding came from my wife and I. Working as time and funding allowed, it took over 5 years to create this unique museum and library.

We worked with the Argentine architect Andrea Caraballo to create a structure that emphasized ascent into the desert sky. The main elements and movements are inspired by some of Tal’s monolithic pieces, well placed to take advantage of the high desert sun and the mountain backdrop. The buildings emerge from the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range, with a Japanese inspired courtyard, complete with shaped gravel and stone fountain.

The main structure is built around a twenty four foot wall that houses 2800 books from Tal’s collection. Moving through this library and passing through the large bookcase wall, you enter a fully equipped studio and workshop with a twenty foot display and drawing wall that also serves as a projection screen for films and slides.

The twenty foot high bookcase is accessed by a steel and glass stairway that leads to a large mezzanine floor, with a separate work station, reading and lounging chairs. The second floor mezzanine offers the most exceptional view over the trees - the Sangre de Cristo mountain range, featuring Sun Mountain, only a mile away . Walking along the upper wall of books, a door leads you to an exterior stairway that passes and winds through the library wall and ends on a large deck with a glass balustrade, where you are firmly placed in the faultless Santa Fe sky at 7000 feet. Here you are well situated for sunsets, sky and star gazing, and kite flying.

All of the building was done by myself and Gerardo Vargas, a superb craftsman who works with me on all my projects. We occasionally needed the help of his nephew, Raudel, who is an expert rider and rope thrower. He carries his lariat on the worksite and often uses it to haul up materials and tools as well as wall frames. Personally, I don’t know how anyone constructs buildings without a lariat.

My wife, Fiona, was a tireless supporter of the project, and she handled most of the interior design and furnishings, as well as the landscaping. Her taste tends toward the minimalist and Japanese, and the result is an exceptional blending of Tal’s powerful minimal designs and quiet Asian settings. Our son, Tiger, was on the site every day after school and added several touches of his own. He performed the cataloging and shelving of the book collection, which is available online.

The Foundation buildings are situated on our land on the east side of Santa Fe, right at the base of the mountain range. It is a completely separate compound with parking for up to 15 cars, and an attached solar array that provides all the power needs. The cladding is mostly glass and steel with stucco on two sides to acknowledge the southwest backdrop. It is a LEED certified building, with careful attention to passive solar practices, and arranged to protect the Collection from the high altitude sun.

We have created a very quiet, restrained atmosphere in the library, attached residence, and courtyard for artists, writers, and visitors. People reading and working in the library have a complete view of the courtyard through a thirty five foot glass curtain wall, surrounded by a shallow arroyo filled with pinon and juniper.

Several of Tal’s large minimalist sculptures are located in the courtyard and in the surrounding forest. The library wall is accented along the south edge with a twenty four foot red strip that leads the eye upward to fulfill Tal’s most frequent motif - simple objects against an ever changing sky.

-David Wagner