Richard Long: Walking the Line

by Richard Long, Denise Hooker

This book by and about the sculptor and pioneer land artist Richard Long explores his work from the 1990s to the present day. Long's ability to make works of physical and intellectual beauty in both outdoor and indoor spaces is unrivaled, and the journey covered here takes the reader around the to the Sahara Desert and down the Rio Grande, from coast to coast in Ireland and Spain, to Tierra del Fuego and Mongolia, and to the forests of Honshu in Japan. Some of the artist's sculptures were made during his walks through the world's landscapes, while others bring the materials of naturestones, boulders, driftwood, clay, and mudinto museums, galleries, houses, and gardens. These works feed the senses, whereas the texts and photographs recording the artist's walks feed the imagination. Majestic museum pieces made from tons of rock are juxtaposed with dramatic mud works and photographs recording ephemeral sculptures often made in the remote wilderness. Most of the photographs were taken by the artist himself, and the book also includes his notes and writings. If walking has become Long's trademark, the path is perhaps the central image or archetype in his work. The idea of the path or way has meaning in all culturesfrom the most material to the most spiritual. It is both real and symbolic, whether it is a life, a road, or the Taoist "Great Way." With his walks, Richard Long weaves a line through many traditions, creating an art that is both timeless and universal. 248 illustrations in color and duotone.

Genres: Walking, Art

326 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2005

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Curtis Bauer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The photos, the jottings, the landscapes: this book covers a walkers world. I love Long's installations, but more than that, I love how he inhabits space, the space where he is in the moment--walking back and forth along a line on some high mountain pass; picking up stones and tossing them, following them and picking them up again and again, each time tossing them forward and walking to them; walking non-stop during the solstice, in a straight line. His photos are like memories I want to have, and the paths he follows, like trails my feet want to walk.

[Daniel Valera · Rating 3 out of 5]

Buen libro para entender la obra de Long. Poco contenido pero muy bien elegido. Bonita edición.

[A. J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Calming and Powerful.

[S.W. Fairbrother · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went to see the exhibition about this at the Tate, and ended up buying this book. I hadn't heard of Richard Long before this, but it was incredible. Very interesting, and very affecting.