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Andy Goldsworthy
The many-pointed star formed from large icicles balances on a rock in a quiet Dumfriesshire valley, a delicate bamboo screen stands on a Japanese beach, a great serpentine ridge of earth extends along a disused railway cutting on Tyneside, four massive snow rings mark the position of the North Pole. The creator of these extraordinary pieces of art is Andy Goldsworthy, who for the last fourteen years has worked almost exclusively with the materials he finds in the outdoor environment. Snow, ice, maple leaves, dandelion heads, twigs, pebbles - wherever he is, Andy Goldsworthy uses whatever happens to be around him. Most of his work is ephemeral and he records his creations in fine colour photographs, many of which have accompanying texts that form an integral part of the work. The artists intention is not to "make his mark" on the landscape, but to work with it instinctively, so that his creations manifest, however fleetingly, a sympathetic contact with the natural world.
120 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1990
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About the author
Andy Goldsworthy
32 books177 followersAndy Goldsworthy is an English sculptor, photographer and environmentalist living in Scotland who produces site-specific sculpture and land art situated in natural and urban settings. His art involves the use of natural and found objects, to create both temporary and permanent sculptures which draw out the character of their environment.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
December 20, 2024
Andy Goldsworthy's land art is breathtakingly beautiful and very inspirational. He uses any materials he can find in nature; leaves, hay, sticks, branches, sand, stones and in the works seen in this book, also snow and ice. Very basic forms repeat themselves in Goldsworthy's art: circles, lines, spirals, pyramids etc. He photographs his works, but here too he is very "frugal" as he uses no filters or special equipment, just a film camera. Still, his photography is peaceful and pleasing to the eye. The landscapes surrounding his works are very much part of the art work. Therefore, there is no particular point where an artwork ends. The landscapes are beautiful as well, but often in a quiet way, so that they don't overpower the artwork.
As I'm an enthusiastic gardener myself, I drew a lot of inspiration from this book. I have made a fence of branches and worked with stones, but now I feel really eager to try something more artistic. I highly recommend this book to any outdoor person.
“I take the opportunity each day offers.”
“Photography is a way of putting distance between myself and the work which sometimes helps me to see more clearly what it is that I have made.”
“There is life in a stone. Any stone that sits in a field or lies on a beach takes on the memory of that place. You can feel that stones have witnessed so many things.”
“If I had to describe my work in one word, that word would be time.”
― Andy Goldsworthy
As I'm an enthusiastic gardener myself, I drew a lot of inspiration from this book. I have made a fence of branches and worked with stones, but now I feel really eager to try something more artistic. I highly recommend this book to any outdoor person.
“I take the opportunity each day offers.”
“Photography is a way of putting distance between myself and the work which sometimes helps me to see more clearly what it is that I have made.”
“There is life in a stone. Any stone that sits in a field or lies on a beach takes on the memory of that place. You can feel that stones have witnessed so many things.”
“If I had to describe my work in one word, that word would be time.”
― Andy Goldsworthy
August 28, 2019
Quand la fiction devient réalité et/ou que la réalité devient fiction.
Ou encore, chaque jour est semblable au précédent.
Ou comme dirait Hell : « chaque jour est l’inconsciente répétition du précédent. »
Par contre, je n’ai pas très bien compris pourquoi, à la page 143, il mentionne "Polders" et réponds, page 144 : « J’écris Polders » et non "Paludes" ?
Par ailleurs, voici deux citations qui m’ont particulièrement touchés:
- page 44 : « c’est même un peu cela qui m’a donné l’idée d’écrire Paludes; le sentiment d’une inutiles contemplation, l’emotion que j’ai devant les délicates choses grises. »
- Page 151 : « - Ou d’aller encore une fois, ô forêt pleine de mystère, - jusqu’à ce lieu que je connais, où, dans une eau morte et brunie, trempent et s’amollissent encore les feuilles des ans passés, les feuilles des printemps adorables.
C’est là que de reposent le mieux mes résolutions inutiles, et que se réduit à la fin, à peu de chose, ma pensée. »
Bonsoir.
Ou encore, chaque jour est semblable au précédent.
Ou comme dirait Hell : « chaque jour est l’inconsciente répétition du précédent. »
Par contre, je n’ai pas très bien compris pourquoi, à la page 143, il mentionne "Polders" et réponds, page 144 : « J’écris Polders » et non "Paludes" ?
Par ailleurs, voici deux citations qui m’ont particulièrement touchés:
- page 44 : « c’est même un peu cela qui m’a donné l’idée d’écrire Paludes; le sentiment d’une inutiles contemplation, l’emotion que j’ai devant les délicates choses grises. »
- Page 151 : « - Ou d’aller encore une fois, ô forêt pleine de mystère, - jusqu’à ce lieu que je connais, où, dans une eau morte et brunie, trempent et s’amollissent encore les feuilles des ans passés, les feuilles des printemps adorables.
C’est là que de reposent le mieux mes résolutions inutiles, et que se réduit à la fin, à peu de chose, ma pensée. »
Bonsoir.
October 17, 2009
I randomly picked this up at a book fair. I didn't even realise it's in French; I was too amazed by the photos! Beautiful artwork. Makes a great coffee table book.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews