Welcome to Fridgehenge, a unique landmark that once stood outside Santa Fe, New Mexico. This was not your typical historic site, but rather a bold artistic statement on consumer culture and environmental impact. Conceived by artist Adam Jonas Horowitz, Fridgehenge was a whimsical yet thought-provoking replica of England’s Stonehenge, constructed entirely from discarded refrigerators.
Fridgehenge came into existence in 1997, situated on a former landfill site just outside of Santa Fe. Horowitz’s creation was not only an artistic endeavor but also a social commentary. By using old refrigerators to mimic the ancient stone circle, he highlighted the wastefulness of modern society and the environmental consequences of consumerism. This art installation was cleverly aligned with the Los Alamos Labs, drawing a parallel to Stonehenge’s celestial alignments.
For nearly a decade, Fridgehenge attracted visitors from all over, piquing curiosity and sparking conversations about art, waste, and history. The construction process itself was an event, with a group of dedicated individuals donning loincloths to move the refrigerators using primitive methods, all captured on videotape. However, due to safety concerns, the installation was dismantled in 2007.
Fridgehenge may be gone, but its legacy lives on. It served as a precursor to Horowitz’s next project, ‘Fridgewall,’ proposed in 2019, which aims to continue the dialogue around consumerism and environmental issues. Fridgehenge’s story is a reminder of how art can challenge perceptions and inspire change in unexpected ways.
