Marfa

So you’re heading to Marfa this weekend. You’ve got your cowboy boots and camera in tow, determined to get your shot in front of the Prada store. 

Wait...there’s a Prada store in Marfa?

Well, no. But there is an art installation with the façade of a Prada store. Technically, it’s in Valentine, a desolate town on the outskirts of Marfa. The storefront sits on the side of the road, nothing in sight but the distant mountains. It was erected in 2005 by artists Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset, who were granted permission by Prada to use the brand’s trademark, as well as real Prada merchandise from the fall 2005 collection. The goods inside were stolen the very first night of the installation, but since then, it has survived without incident. Contradicting its surrounding environment, the edifice is a critique on ostentatious materialism. It could be said that the Prada store both foreshadowed and attracted the gaudy visitors that now flock to Marfa from LA and NYC, searching for Wifi and some sort of spiritual awakening. 

Deep in the Chihuahuan Desert, what was once a sleepy ranching community is now a burgeoning tourist destination. The modest legacy of the town has been elevated to a mythical refuge, in part to it’s quirky residents and languid tempo of the day-to-day. The spiritual qualities of the desert have attracted artists for decades, giving way to galleries, installations, and whimsical structures across town. 

When I was planning my first trip to Marfa, I landed on an online forum where locals posted informal hitchhiking requests and community happenings. This was my first glimpse into the town’s spirit, operating on collective goodwill and trust. People actually seemed to watch out for each other, something I had yet to experience in my suburban existence. 

Yet, reflecting on this, it is exactly as I imagined Marfa to be. The people who settled in the unconventional enclave created the world they wanted to live in- something small, humble, liberated from expectations. Land that extends for miles, the freedom to run under the Texas sky and howl with the wolves. You can plop a big concrete block in the middle of the landscape and call it profound- because it is! The whole damn world is art, and these Marfa martians are clever enough to recognize the infinite beauty in their little corner of earth. 

ART

Chinati Foundation (1 Cavalry Row, Marfa, TX 79843)

A homage to artist Donald Judd, whose influence lives on in the permanent, large-scale collections on this 340 acre plot. Judd was fascinated by the inextricable ties between art and the natural environment, and was insistent that once placed, art should remain until reclaimed by the elements. 

Ballroom Marfa (108 E. San Antonio, Marfa, TX 79843)

True to its name, this non-profit museum is housed in a renovated 1920s ballroom. It is a cultural center devoted to showcasing art in its many forms. 

Judd Foundation (104 S. Highland Ave, Marfa, TX 79843)

This museum houses work from Donald Judd throughout his career. 

Ayn Foundation (107-109 N. Highland Ave, Marfa, TX 79843) 

From Andy Warhol to Maria Zerres, the Ayn Foundation brings international art to the desert. Different vibe from the minimalism in other galleries. 

ENTERTAINMENT

Marfa Lights

Once the doors to the galleries close and the sun gracefully fades into the horizon, you must go see the lights. In the night, mysterious balls of light dance against the backdrop of the mountains, blues and reds and whites flicking across the uninhabited terrain. Though scientists have studied the Marfa Lights and come to their own conclusions, most choose to believe in the magic that seems entirely possible under the open Texas sky. The official viewing spot for the lights is 9 miles out of town, on the shoulder of US-90. I’ll tell you what: it’s fucking dark out there. Already searching for the unknown, the night enshrouds your senses, making everything a lil’ more creepy. 

Marfa Myths

Each April, hipsters migrate out west for Marfa Myths, a music, visual arts, and film festival held within city limits. Other festivals, such as Trans-Pecos Music Festival and Marfa Lights Festival attract out-of-towners, but remain committed to sustainable tourism and the needs of the community. 

SHOP

Wrong Store (110 Highland St, Marfa, TX 79843)

Raba Marfa (212 E San Antonio St, Marfa, TX 79843)

The Marfa Store (204 E Dallas St, Marfa, TX 79843)

EAT

As a general rule, most everything is closed on Mondays. Marfa residents are dependent on the limited grocery stores in the area, and for that reason, I suggest packing groceries for the duration of your stay. 

While the venerable Hotel Paisano is commonly recommended to stay, I believe you can still have the full experience by dining in their restaurant, Jett’s Grill. The anachronistic name does not do justice to the fried artichoke hearts waiting to be dunked in chipotle ranch. Get lost on a trip to the bathroom and wander through the antiquated halls of the hotel, the dim interior decorated with taxidermy and rustic wooden furniture. 

There are a few food trucks here and there, a pizza joint or two. Al Campo Wine Garden offers gorgeous patio seating, but is a little bougie for Marfa. They’ve got coffee shops in the desert, too! The staff at Do Your Thing are proud purveyors of coffee and toast, and Frama is stationed inside a laundromat. 

None of these recommendations will actually matter once you get to Marfa. Things open and close as the owners please. That’s just life, baby! 

STAY 

Your experience in Marfa totally depends on your comfort level: will you be glamping among the yuppies, or will you choose a more earthy abode, where plastic lawn chairs offer a prime view of the stars? 

Due to the influx of wandering souls passing through, there are plenty of rentals available on Airbnb. You’ve got choices- Airstreams, tiny homes, converted RV’s, or adobe casitas. I recommend opting for an Airbnb that has some character, like the studio of an artist on recess or an adobe where the host rolls up on a bike to greet you. 

The available Airbnbs, however, pose a strain on the long-time homeowners in the area. Much of the property in Marfa has recently been snatched up by outsiders looking to make a quick buck. Residents claim that many homes sit empty, waiting for an occasional guest, instead of housing someone who would contribute consistently to the local economy. With a populace of less than 2,000, the tourism economy is now dominating the town and dragging down the people who put Marfa on the map. 

SOCIAL COMMENTARY

Though we romanticize desert life, Marfa residents face a grittier reality. The small, self-sufficient town can only sustain so many people. Residents fear that they are slowly being displaced from their homes, as property taxes increase and tourism is prioritized. Developers and out-of-towners alike scoop up foreclosed properties, while corporate giants wait to destabilize the local economy. 

In 2019, live entertainment company C3 Presents proposed an annual music festival in Marfa that expected to bring in 6,000 people (three times the size of the resident population). Residents organized in opposition against the corporate giant, stating that the town did not have the capacity to support an event as large as this. Limited resources and emergency services, as well as environmental concerns and economic inequality were notable factors in the resistance.

As of 2020, Marfa remains conflicted between it’s tourism dependency and the safety of residents. While West Texas hospitals reach capacity, tourism to Marfa has only increased. Locals have expressed concern over the limited health care infrastructure that is threatened by visitors, who buy up food, sanitizer, and other provisions at the few stores in the area. 

Would I recommend traveling to Marfa during a global pandemic? Nope. Stay home. But, somewhere down the line, travel will kick back up again and you might feel that familiar pull. Before heading out, I strongly recommend doing your research on the local landscape. Ensure your money is supporting the people that live there, not the impersonal capitalists looking to exploit culture. Be respectful to the land and people that live there, and be aware of the resources you are using. If you want Marfa to remain as it is, we must take caution in loving it too much. 

I’ll be the first to admit that this commentary on Marfa is contemptuous of foreigners. Obviously, I’m not a local either. Few are. Perhaps I believe that my Texas residency pardons me from the sins of tourism in this tiny town. But shit, even writing this post could drive more careless tourists to Marfa. 

That’s the paradox of small-town tourism: it’s quaint until it’s not, the delicate ecosystem transformed by plastic wrappers and imported souvenirs. While the ‘old’ Marfa that residents lament about is long-gone, there is still a rallying spirit to preserve the profound collectivism that exists way out there. These communities are resilient. 

I leave you with this: you are only a visitor. Some residents of Marfa were probably, at one point, just visitors. We have all been visitors; Indigenous people lived on this land long before Marfa was a stop on a rail line.

Aside from your predictable Prada store pic, a stubborn layer of dust is the only remaining evidence of your trip. Was it as psychedelic and spiritual as you had hoped?