Land Artists, such as Goldsworthy.. photographers ...?

jtk · Nov 23, 2018

I see and enjoy a lot of "land art."

Like Edward Weston, we all see natural phenomena that is photograph-able .

Most of us have seen Goldsworthy's work only in photographs/print.. (I've been fortunate to see some of his stone-work in person, in frozen winter, but I've seen more of it in print).

Some ask if, ultimately, Goldsworthy creates photographs (and books).

https://www.theartstory.org/artist-goldsworthy-andy-artworks.htm

What are your thoughts about "land art" (not just Goldsworthy's)

Vaughn · Nov 23, 2018

Stackers should be stoned.

awty · Nov 24, 2018

Vaughn said:
Stackers should be stoned.

Using their own works.....its the only way they will learn.

Ian Grant · Nov 24, 2018

It's worth looking at "The Unpainted Landscape" it's a 1987 Coracle Press, Scottish Arts Council publication. I found it quite inspirational at the time.

Goldsworthy is in it along with Thomas Joshua Cooper, Hamish Fulton, Richard Long, Ray Moore, and others. It was put together by Graeme Murray who had a Galllery in Edinburgh, he also published Thomas Joshua Coopers work until he passed away.

Ian

Vaughn · Nov 24, 2018

Dang, Ian, you scared me. I thought you meant Tom Cooper had died.

jtk · Nov 24, 2018

There's also Smithson's Spiral Jetty .

I think it calls for a drone.

Suggestion: turn off the audio

https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/...=2b904b704196cb7fbbe06014e0614ab0&action=view

awty · Nov 24, 2018

Only thing worse than going into a national park and seeing piled up rocks is having a drone circling above.

Leave nothing but footprints take nothing bu photos.

faberryman · Nov 27, 2018

jtk said:
And we do have drones and aircraft so perhaps it's better to appreciate what some photographers do with them.

I have seen some really nice drone photography. I just don't want to be around when it is being done.

jtk · Nov 27, 2018

awty said:
Only thing worse than going into a national park and seeing piled up rocks is having a drone circling above.

Leave nothing but footprints take nothing bu photos.

Surely it's worse to confront mobs of tourists in national parks than it is to see piled up rocks or suffer with drones (for the latter there are shotguns). And it's worse to realize that hardly any of those tourists' snaps will do more than catch dust or be more than litter.

Certain aerial photographers, such as Adriel Heisey, have contributed importantly to people who actually appreciate National Parks (i.e. hike far from parking lots):

https://www.archaeologysouthwest.org/2014/01/30/from-above-images-of-a-storied-land/

And there's this: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/102416.Aerial_Photography_Worldwide

And this: https://www.archaeologysouthwest.org/virtual-southwest/

Vaughn · Nov 27, 2018

Drones -- dovetails into the discussion about the impact we are having in our our National Parks and Lands...the over-use and the destructive use of them. Drones are capturing beautifully awesome images...and sucking out the special-ness of Places...killing off some of the spirit of these Places. They are no longer the (personally) unknown -- instead, they are places that were on that drone video (eg. The Secret Waterfalls of Maui) and so forth. And because these places have become so well known and have lost some of their spirit, visitors do not see them as special and to make up for it, they are stacking rocks, carving their names on sandstone, flying more drones, and making themselves the subject of their most important images in these places. All part of our tendency to treat nature and the landscape as commodities. Okay -- rant over.

Of course this is what we have been doing all along with our own landscape/nature still photography -- just not so dang fast.

As long as the land-art respects the land, does minimal damage, and respects the historical uses and peoples of the land, Land Art is fine with me.

wyofilm · Nov 27, 2018

Setting aside the wanton abuse of a national parks (litter, vandalism, etc.), the problem we all encounter is that no two people have identical interests. Some hike only, some camp, some ride horses, some pack in on horses, some prefer the mechanical and motorized ways, some shoot slowly and deliberately, some paint in even slower and more deliberate ways, some want to fly drones (they are not evil IMHO) and so on. Guided tours? Including photo tours? Those operations bring people in by the truckloads - literally. Ban them? Elitism vs. egalitarianism. Boardwalks, parking lots, handicap access, elderly access, bathrooms, visitor centers, gas stations, hotels, roads (paved and dirt), marinas.

Do we all have to be Jim Bridger to enter a National Park or National Forest? Or is it ok to be a city slicker venturing into an accommodated wilderness for the time?

I don't go to Yellowstone during the summer even it is in my backyard. The crowds and traffic are maddening. Fall is far preferable.

In my lifetime I am not going to get to visit every place worth seeing on earth. Or in the United States. Or in Wyoming. Or even in Sublette Co. I am happy others provide books, films, etc for me to see some of them vicariously.

Now, damn those Stonehenge builders - it still scars the earth!

I have no answer. I will err on the side of understanding the desires of others and not just my own.

warden · Nov 27, 2018

Vaughn said:
Drones -- dovetails into the discussion about the impact we are having in our our National Parks and Lands...the over-use and the destructive use of them. Drones are capturing beautifully awesome images...and sucking out the special-ness of Places...killing off some of the spirit of these Places. They are no longer the (personally) unknown -- instead, they are places that were on that drone video (eg. The Secret Waterfalls of Maui) and so forth. And because these places have become so well known and have lost some of their spirit, visitors do not see them as special and to make up for it, stacking rocks, carving their names on sandstone, flying more drones, and making themselves the subject of their most important images in these places. All part of our tendency to treat nature and the landscape as commodities. Okay -- rant over.

Of course this is what we have been doing all along with our own landscape/nature still photography -- just not so dang fast.

As long as the land-art respects the land, does minimal damage, and respects the historical uses and peoples of the land, Land Art is fine with me.

Much agreement here. The NYT posted an article a few weeks ago about an upcoming Bruce Nauman retrospective at MoMA. In it was the below text, which I like quite a bit:

It says something about Mr. Nauman’s view of art as a moral instrument that when, in 1969, he was invited to be in a major Land Art show, he proposed hiring a plane to sky-write the words “Leave The Land Alone.”

Having said that, I'm still a fan of artists like James Turrell with his massive and ridiculous Roden Crater, which I hope to see up close one day. It's also hard to argue with the sublime work that Andy Goldsworthy creates with nature, much of which is no-impact and ephemeral stuff, which can't be said of Turrell's crater. I've seen both artists' work personally many times and it's always a treat.

http://rodencrater.com/about/

Mainecoonmaniac · Nov 27, 2018

I think he is a photographer, but he uses photography to document his work. The only real way to experience is work if you're lucky is see it in person. Some of his works made of ice, leaves and anything that's ephemeral has to be documented before his art disappears.

jtk · Nov 27, 2018

Mainecoonmaniac said:
I think he is a photographer, but he uses photography to document his work. The only real way to experience is work if you're lucky is see it in person. Some of his works made of ice, leaves and anything that's ephemeral has to be documented before his art disappears.

I think Goldsworthy considers the "ephemeral" melting and decaying of some of his works as inherent to his art...leading to videos

Mainecoonmaniac · Nov 27, 2018

jtk said:
I think Goldsworthy considers the "ephemeral" melting and decaying of some of his works as inherent to his art...leading to videos

Yep. The metaphor for life. There's a great collection in San Francisco. https://www.for-site.org/project/goldsworthy-in-the-presidio/

jtk · Nov 27, 2018

Mainecoonmaniac said:
Yep. The metaphor for life. There's a great collection in San Francisco. https://www.for-site.org/project/goldsworthy-in-the-presidio/

Thanks, thats excellent. And the Presidio is an important and beautiful destination.

Vaughn · Nov 28, 2018

Spire is pretty amazing. In 2005, a windstorm blew down a narrow (about 30 yards) swath of second-growth redwoods in Eureka's Sequoia Park. Laid them down like matchsticks. Soon after the blow, my boys (8 yrs old) and I walked the 200 yards or so of the blowdown high above the ground, going from tree to tree. A pretty intense form of natural Land Art!

I have seen both the Running Fence and the Umbrellas (California) by Christo and Jeanne-Claude. Mostly by luck -- happen to be driving in the right place at the right time.

There was a fellow who wanted to string bras across the Grand Canyon for some reason. I thought it was a great concept -- as long as it stayed a concept and never got off the ground.

jtk · Nov 28, 2018

As a San Franciscan there were Running Fence volunteer and appropriate supporters all around me. One was Alan Potkin, the Corps of Engineers guy who issued the final permit. Environmental hero despite. We worked together to produce the original version of this (originally accompanied by beautiful technical information), have remained buddies ever since. .

jtk · Nov 28, 2018

http://cultivateunderstanding.com/ recognizing, photographing, writing about and preserving culture in the face of catastrophe using photography and other media...perhaps a type of "Land Art" ?

Mainecoonmaniac · Nov 28, 2018

jtk said:
http://cultivateunderstanding.com/ recognizing, photographing, writing about and preserving culture in the face of catastrophe using photography and other media...perhaps a type of "Land Art" ?

Land is another medium for art. Just like some of Christo's work, you have to be there to truly experience it. As you know, Trump the con-artist wants his border wall paid with the public dime. It makes a big statement about tribalism and power. It's his version of the Moai of Easter Island.

jtk · Jul 5, 2019

warden · Jul 5, 2019

jtk said:
TTT

Ddd

jtk · Jul 6, 2019

Mainecoonmaniac said:
Land is another medium for art. Just like some of Christo's work, you have to be there to truly experience it. As you know, Trump the con-artist wants his border wall paid with the public dime. It makes a big statement about tribalism and power. It's his version of the Moai of Easter Island.

Interesting insights. I think more photographers would benefit by knowing something about different cultures and art-beyond-photo. Photo is nothing without art.

Land Artists, such as Goldsworthy.. photographers ...?

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