Andy king dead12/13/2023 ![]() Firstly, the work is ephemeral, eventually vanishing in nature. In his own defense, he has argued: "But I have to work with flowers and leaves, because they are part of the land." Time passing is the main attribute of Red Leaf Patch. Works such as Red Leaf Patch led some to criticize Goldsworthy for overly aestheticizing nature. ![]() In this way, Goldsworthy relates to the Bauhaus artist Joseph Albers whose studies underscored the power of color in creating space. I tore the dark leaf in two, spat underneath it and pressed it on to the light leaf: the result was what appeared to be a single, two-colored leaf." Red Leaf Patch is a slightly illusionistic, zinging composition in which the red circle appears to be on a different plane from the dark one underneath. To create this bright spot, Goldsworthy describes how he found "one dark and one light leaf of the same size. Painterly compositions utilizing nature's organic colors and forms, such as Red Leaf Patch, are one of Goldsworthy's trademarks. As is often the case with Land art, the viewer is left wondering if the actual work is the short-lived sculpture or the photograph that documents it. As he puts it himself, "movement, change, light, growth and decay are the lifeblood of nature, the energies that I try to tap through my work." Additionally, the ephemerality of the materials triggers a discussion regarding the role of the record in the artwork itself. His overriding interest though is practical - he wants to investigate what he describes as the "energy of making" inside of things, while seeing the energy and space around a material (the effect of the weather for example) as being as important as the energy and space within. Goldsworthy sees human beings as part of nature rather than separate or distant from it, something he understands could suggest his work has a spiritual or mystical purpose. The significance of this work, perhaps more of a study than a finished piece, lies in the artist's acceptance of nature as the co-author of the piece. I often think of it still being there, although I know it isn't intact. I revisited it several times and saw it sink into the sand and disappear. The line of stones physically affected the place and the people who walked along the beach. I had to move a lot of stones in one day, between the tides. In Goldsworthy's own words: This is a very physical piece. With the changing tides however, the line loses its shape and eventually vanishes. The orderliness of this manmade line contrasts with the more organic forms created by nature. Here he uses small rocks found onsite to create a straight line into the water. Although made while he was still a student, works such as this were pivotal in shaping his overall direction. Stones sinking in sand, Morecambe Bay is one of Goldsworthy earliest works. As he has said, "People also leave presence in a place even when they are no longer there."ฤก976 Stones sinking in sand, Morecambe Bay, Lancashire ![]() He feels it is important to acknowledge a site's rich history and the various connections that people have in relationship with the land.
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