ANDY GOLDSWORTHY: ART AND NATURE

The Beauty of Ephemerality

Andy Goldsworthy, a 65 year old English artist, is known for his sculptures in nature. These pieces are often characterized by a sense of surrealism while not seeming out of place in their surroundings. It is clear that these works are man-made, yet it isn't unbelievable to suggest that some come across as natural phenomena.

Water and Impermanence.

Two major themes of Goldsworthy's works are how they interact with water and the fact that they do not last forever. These two concepts are very closely intertwined. One instance of the former of the two is when Goldsworthy works with ice, often waking up long before sunrise then watching his work melt away afterwards. In doing this, he strays from conventional beliefs of art--that you are making something to last forever. For Goldsworthy, the act of nature interacting with his pieces and "destroying" them instead seems to him as a greater force elevating his art to a point that he could never do himself. Other examples of this are when he creates large scale sculptures that are later washed away by rising tides or river currents. For example, when he created a large hurricane-esque dome of sticks that was later carried down a river for him to never interact with again. Goldsworthy loves the idea of impermanence and understands that many of his pieces will, and in his mind should, eventually be destroyed.

The unique ideas Goldsworthy brings to art as well as his ability to portray the beauty and power of nature makes his work particularly impactful. In not only being indifferent to the destruction of his pieces but being appreciative he is able to set a new standard for art. Perfection is futile and loss is a natural part of life; it is not something to grieve over, rather something to appreciate for the lessons it teaches you. If you have not yet learned about Goldsworthy, I strongly encourage to look at his other works or watch the documentary "Rivers and Tides: Andy Goldsworthy Working with Time."