I’ve been thinking a lot about grass lately. Part of that is because it still feels like the dead of winter here and there is nothing green around. It’s all browns and grays and spring fever is lurking right around the corner. The other reason I’ve been thinking about grass so much is because I’ve gotten a jump start on spring and turned my studio into a grass-growing factory. I basically have my very own indoor lawn. The stuff is beautiful. Since process is really important in my work–the ideas of growth and change–grass seems like the perfect medium. It inspired me to check out some artists who work with the natural world and here is one of my favorites…
Andy Goldsworthy. He’s a sculptor and photographer from England. He makes site specific work in and using nature. Goldsworthy’s pieces are usually ephemeral and are documented with photography. They are often startling and poetic images. Evidence that someone was actually there.
He says this about his work: “My art is an attempt to reach beyond the surface appearance. I want to see growth in wood, time in stone, nature in a city, and I do not mean its parks but a deeper understanding that a city is nature too-the ground upon which it is built, the stone with which it is made. People also leave presence in a place even when they are no longer there.”
I had a really hard time picking out images because they are all so amazing. Here are a few…but you really should look at more of his stuff! There’s a documentary out about him called “Rivers and Tides” that would be worth checking out as so much of his work is about process and change and it would be great to see him in action.
Poppy petals
Early morning, before breeze strengthened
Each petal licked underneath and pressed to another
To make a line about seven feet long
Haarlemmerhout, Holland 27 August 1984
Maple leaves in water
Rock covered in petals and leaves
He made this piece by laying on dry dirt while it rained around him, leaving a silhouette of his body
mlktst
Mar 8, 2007 -
Woohoo, Goldsworthy… I’d definitely vouch for the Rivers and Tides documentary DVD — nice choice and a great place to start.
As for my favorite works, Andy’s cairns and arches are probably the ones that I’m visually drawn to the most. Really his entire body of work does something for me, as it’s kind of to fine art what ambient sound / field recordings are to popular music.
His sketchbooks are also pretty superb, though unfortunately I’ve never seen them detailed extensively.
Aimee
Mar 8, 2007 -
Megan–I don’t know how to email the members of this blog, but I’m trying to get in touch with the writer of the early November post regarding Janin Franke.
Would you be so kind as to ask him (or her!) to email me at aimeeinlegal (at) yahoo (dot) com?
Thank you so much!
britt
Mar 9, 2007 -
meg! i waver back and forth on liking this man’s work or not, and think your grass growing studio sounds much more like something i can get on board with. ultimatly i come out in favor of goldsworthy, but only because he reminds me of a super sensitive and lonely 10 year old boy who counts nature as his only friend. it’s more cinematic that way.
ps. i miss you!
mlktst
Mar 9, 2007 -
Well he’s certainly no David LaChapelle… but then again, who is?
paveovertahoe
Mar 9, 2007 -
I can’t explain why, but the silhouette is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen.