After spending a few days with American artist James Turrell in December, Kanye West decided to become a patron by donating $10 million to Turrell Art Foundation, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The money will support James Turrell's ambitious unfinished land work, the Roden Crater Project. Since the 1970s, Turrell has been transforming the extinct volcano, located in the Painted Desert in Arizona, into "a series of rooms and tunnels."
West reportedly visited the Roden Crater site with the 75-year-old artist back on Dec. 11. The rapper later tweeted about the experience, calling it "life changing." 'Ye also toured his exhibition “Into the Light” at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art later in December.
In a statement regarding his donation, Kanye said he wanted the Crater to be “experienced and enjoyed for eternity.”
Turrell, famous for his large light installations, has battled with off-and-on funding while being pressured to finish the project. The artist told WSJ he was “thrilled” by Kanye's gift at a “critical juncture of the project." He's currently working with Arizona State University to raise $200 million for its completion.
The foundation said its goal is to open the Roden Crater in five years.
