Marfa
Artistic. Quirky. Academic. You’d be forgiven for thinking Marfa is more Brooklyn than Texas. Its curated galleries and trendy restaurants seem improbable in the remote desert landscape of West Texas.
Marfa is a town of about 2,000 residents with a growing number of transplants from New York and Los Angeles.
Minimalist artist Donald Judd’s work is on permanent display at the Chinati Foundation. Across from that is a multi-building Dan Flavin installation of fluorescent lights. Ballroom Marfa is the largest and most extensive gallery, hosting exhibits from Dan Colen, Brigid McCaffrey, and Oskar Fischinger. There are several other galleries worth visiting and sharing a tequila with the artists. The much-instagramed Prada Marfa is 30 minutes outside of the city. The less glamorous Target roadside attraction is a 45 minute drive.
Besides the artwork and desert landscape that surrounds the desert city, locations of note for visiting filmmakers and photographers include the picture-perfect courthouse, bleached art deco buildings, contemporary interior of the Hotel Saint George, retro Hotel Paisano, and teepees at El Cosmico. Many old and structures have been converted for artistic use, such as Pure Joy, which was once a fuel-storage facility. Others continue their original work, such as the Godbold Feed Company.
By day, the West Texas light is excellent for filming. By night, you may get lucky and witness the extraterrestrial Marfa Lights. Summers are hot and winters are cool.
In 1956 James Dean, Rock Hudson, and Elizabeth Taylor filmed Giant in Marfa. In 2016 the Amazon Original Series I Love Dick filmed throughout Marfa. No Country for Old Men (2007) and There Will Be Blood (2007) also filmed in Marfa.
Production Support & Shooting Crews
If you are looking to have a project filmed or photographed in Marfa, the town is home to many world-class creatives. We are also able to provide you with local production support depending on the specific needs of the shoot. If you are looking to bring in directors, videographers, DoP’s, photographers, or any other film crew, El Paso is the closest major airport a 200 mile drive from Marfa. Contact us for crew recommendations.
