Sue Ding Documents An-My Lê's First Outdoor Installation in Joshua Tree for Art21 Film
Directed by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Sue Ding, "An-My Lê: Photographing the Night Sky" captures photographer An-My Lê's inaugural outdoor installation at Andrea Zittel's High Desert Test Sites, which took place in October 2025. During the new moon, Lê developed a new project titled "Way Station" (2026), prompting Ding to shoot in almost complete darkness. To create a "night world," Ding utilized red headlamps worn by Lê and her assistant, Alice. This project juxtaposes Lê's previous series "29 Palms" (2003-4) with her latest work, which employed a star tracker for night photography. The film, part of Art21's "Extended Play" series, has a duration of 8:12 and was released on October 14, 2026, with director's notes following on October 15, 2026.
Key facts
- Sue Ding directed "An-My Lê: Photographing the Night Sky" for Art21's Extended Play series.
- Filming took place in October 2025 at High Desert Test Sites, Joshua Tree National Park, and surrounding landscapes.
- An-My Lê's new body of work is titled "Way Station" (2026) and is her first-ever outdoor installation.
- Lê photographed during the new moon to obtain the clearest star images, requiring the crew to film in darkness.
- Ding created a "night world" using red headlamps worn by Lê and her assistant Alice instead of heavy lighting.
- Ding included Lê's series "29 Palms" (2003-4), made in the same location 20 years earlier.
- Lê learned to use a star tracker for photographing the night sky during the project.
- The film runs 8:12 and was released October 14, 2026; Ding's director's notes were published October 15, 2026.
Entities
Artists
- Sue Ding
- An-My Lê
- Andrea Zittel
- Alice
- David Howe
- Namiko Kato
- Hannah DeGarmo
Institutions
- Art21
- High Desert Test Sites
- Extended Play
- New York City Department of Cultural Affairs
- New York City Council
- New York State Council on the Arts
- Office of the Governor of New York
- New York State Legislature
- Henry Nias Foundation
- YouTube
Locations
- Joshua Tree National Park
- High Desert Test Sites
- Joshua Tree
- California
- United States
- New York
- New York, United States