Saving the Earth: A Mission for Contemporary Artists - Essay Example

?Saving the Earth: A Mission for Contemporary Artists Introduction Saving the environment is a very difficult task. Nevertheless, there are those whostill believe that it is possible to save the earth, such as ecological, environmental, and landscape artists. They believe that art has the power to save the earth. Art can be used as a medium to develop an ecologically moral and environmentally aware culture. The world is currently witnessing serious environmental threats, and the arts should take major steps to help inform people about the importance of taking care of the environment (Kang 2008, p. 13). People have to reassess and recreate their roles in protecting nature. This is the most challenging mission for artists today. Stankiewicz and Krug (1997) explained that “some ecological artists attempt to alert viewers to environmental issues through shock, humour, or educational documentation. Others seek to educate the public to the systemic character of bioregions through ritual, performance, and process drama” (p. 4). Some environmental artists, like Andy Goldsworthy and Nils-Udo, try to raise environmental awareness by taking part and encouraging community involvement in ecological art projects. This essay discusses the eco-friendly art projects of two contemporary artists, the Three Cairns by Andy Goldsworthy and the Clemson Clay Nest by Nils-Udo. Andy Goldsworthy: A Representation of Ecological Eccentricity Andy Goldsworthy only uses materials available in nature. Using leaves, stones, and other natural materials, he creates masterpieces which encourage his audiences to view nature with stronger passion and interest. His masterpieces do not exactly or literally mimic the natural environment (Malpas 2010, p. 13). For instance, a leaf art does not really look like a leaf, but look more like a nest or other objects. The creations of Goldsworthy are natural subjects without trying to be natural. In contrast, his art is very non-natural that orients the audiences to the natural. Goldsworthy decided to abandon city life and live close to nature. Artists struggle to provide a physical depiction of their intangible ideas. Goldsworthy’s art conceals its layers and convinces the audience to ignore its pretences (Donovan et al. 2010, p. 22). His art has encouraged a dialogue among individuals who had been uninvolved in the past, broadening the horizon of the arts. Goldsworthy depicts sympathy, beauty, and perfection through his art works that explain how individuals should understand the huge role of nature in their lives. His project Three Cairns is inspired by his plan to bring about a complex artistic project that runs along the entire American nation by linking the West and East coasts. This project transcends the limitations of the abstract. This clearly architectural work spans an entire continent (Malpas 2010, p. 74). Cairns, or headstones, are a figurative stone work which could have ritualistic or collective meaning. Goldsworthy is realizing his idea in stages by building exceptional, sturdy enormous monuments at the three involved places, namely, San Diego, California, Des Moines, Iowa, and Purchase, New York (Binkly 2012, pp. 8-9). The Midwest, particularly its connection to the East and West coasts, mesmerized Goldsworthy. At every place, Midwest, East coast, and West Coast, he constructed an Iowa cairn that characterised a particular site of importance. He constructed the East Coast Cairn near New York’s Neuberger Museum of Art (Binkly 2012, pp. 8-9). Lubowsky explained the allegorical significance of Goldsworthy’s project: “Life, death, and regeneration, the underlying principles of Goldsworthy’s art, took on a profound and unexpected new meaning with the unimaginable events of September 11, 2001; for Andy the meaning was personal as well, for his father had recently died” (Binkly 2012, p. 9). On the other hand, the West Coast Cairn was built near California’s San Diego Museum of Contemporary Art. The origin of the Iowan limestone was quite distant that it preserves remnants of marine organisms. Goldsworthy became curious about this connection, particularly because the stone was initially discovered in the Midwest, quite distant from California’s oceans. Finally, the Midwest Cairn was constructed near the Des Moines Art Center. The Three Cairns is the biggest creative project of Goldsworthy in the western region and strongly connected the continent temporally and spatially and how nature influences people’s view of home (Binkly 2012, pp. 9-10). By taking pictures of the wearing away of the cairns in a series of shifting light modes against a scenic, striking perspective, Goldsworthy will document the changes in his momentary sculptures to represent renewal or regeneration. The creation of Goldsworthy concerns the cycle of life, change and regeneration, history, nature, and the idea that human beings exist in this world temporarily but nature is eternal (Grande 2004, pp. 12-13). The Three Cairns symbolise an architectural achievement and an artistic ingenuity. The project represents survival, time, and richness (Thompson 2000, p. 73). In summary, Goldsworthy teams up with the natural elements and celebrates what nature provides as regards beauty, regeneration, and change. Nils-Udo: A Representation of Ecological Oneness Nils-Udo emphasises the scenery or landscape, assorting natural resources readily available. Hence connections are created between art and agriculture, but with an essential sympathy to the historical experience of the landscape. The style of Nils-Udo is concrete and typically informal and spontaneous, forms a visual contrast between a variety of non-living and natural components (Bleicher 2000, p. 197). Nature’s practice of continuous recreation and regeneration is generally ignored by most people as they get on with their everyday lives. Nils-Udo disentangles himself and others from this illusory effect of popular culture to highlight the numerous ways people view, characterise, and think about the real world (Grande 2003, p. 6). Nils-Udo is widely popular for his highly localized structures constructed using organic materials. His works of art are all about the connection between humanmade and natural environments, and the temporary existence of nature. The natural materials he has utilised in creations like Spruce Tree Planting, and To Gustave Mahler elaborated the natural environment. Romantic Landscape, an enduring structure built in Germany, is a unique, whole natural landscape (Grande 2004, p. 95). The Blue Flower: Landscape for Heinrich von Ofterdingen built near Munich encloses plantings of numerous blue wildflowers. However, the most popular masterpiece of Nils-Udo is the Clemson Clay Nest (Grande 2004, p. 95). This project went through many changes in terms of designs and materials throughout the years. The structure was built with bamboo sticks and pine logs. Supervised by Nils-Udo himself, a group of unpaid helpers positioned the materials in a rounded form implanted in the red clay ground of the garden (Besacier & Nils-Udo 2002, pp. 122-123). The project responds to and follows the natural forces within that environment. The clay was used as a symbol for life and birth. As revealed by Nils-Udo (Besacier & Nils-Udo 2002, p. 123): The idea of planting my work literally into nature—of making it a part of nature, of submitting it to nature—its cycle and rhythms, filled me on the one hand with a deep inner peace and on the hand with seemingly inexhaustible new possibilities and fields of action. Basically, Nils-Udo thinks that the nest rests in the abundance and richness of the natural earth. A Comparison of the Art Works of Andy Goldsworthy and Nils-Udo Both Andy Goldsworthy and Nils-Udo are successful environmental artists. They celebrate the environmental history of different societies and, in turn, encourage the people to view the connection between their daily lives and their natural environment with a more positive, fresher perspective. These environmental artists successfully depicted the importance of nature, especially its role in recreation, reproduction, and regeneration. They also magnified the connections between different environmental conditions that evolved over the years. They fulfilled their role in the development of a new perspective and new visualisation of individuals in nature through experiencing nature themselves. These personal experiences with the natural environment strengthened the connection of these two artists to their environmental objective. By creating a strong and enduring relationship with nature, both artists were able to illustrate how environmental threats have brought about problems to the community (Hicks & King 2007, p. 333). Both artists argue that people should understand the biological and historical features of their landscapes and to discover means to think about recreation and regeneration. Goldsworthy and Nils-Udo are exceptionally knowledgeable and experienced to appreciate and promote the arts as a way to understand current perceptions of nature and to evaluate the attitudes that accompany these perceptions. These artists helped people appreciate nature as an exquisite scene, isolated from individuals’ daily lives; a sanctuary for regeneration. They artistically argued, at the same time, that a greater appreciation of nature’s processes should enlighten and govern people’s daily involvement in and collaboration with their natural environment. Both artists argue that in order to save the earth people should have a new creative image of nature, an image that will encourage them to rebuild their connections with the natural world. On the other hand, Goldsworthy and Nils-Udo have several differences as well, especially in terms of artistic designs. Both artists use materials readily available in nature, but how they view these materials as a creative component is different. Goldsworthy is somewhat eccentric in his depiction of nature. His art works look artificial on the surface, but their underlying emphasis is on nature. He proves this in several of his creations, like his leaf works and the Three Cairns. These masterpieces do not copy nature, but instead refrain from looking natural. Goldsworthy’s art works hide their true meanings under the guise of artificiality (Rocca 2007, p. 82). He challenges his audiences to go beyond the artifice and look for nature’s true essence. On the contrary, Nils-Udo is quite straightforward in his creations. His art works are direct representations of the natural world. However, just like Goldsworthy, he does not easily give away the true meaning of his creations. For example, the Clemson Clay Nest, from the outside, really looks like a big nest. But if one would look at it superficially s/he will never discover the deeper meaning of this structure. The nest is implanted in a red clay ground, and this design holds the core meaning of this artistic work. The clay is a symbol for life. And perhaps, the nest symbolises human beings who are eternally dependent on nature for survival. Conclusions It is evident that art can save the earth. Through the arts, people can cultivate an understanding and concern for nature, think about its importance, and seek to protect the environment. The arts can raise awareness, appreciation, and understanding of the relationship between humanity and the natural world. The arts promote intellectual and individual development and can encourage people to reassess their own assumptions about their role in protecting nature. Environmental artists, like Goldsworthy and Nils-Udo, visually and vividly depcits the relationship between nature and art and challenge their audiences to reassess traditional beliefs about the environment and build new theoretical perspectives. References Besacier, H. & Nils-Udo, 2002, Nils-Udo: Art in Nature, Flammarion, New York. Binkly, S., (n.d.), ‘Intertwined through Time: Andy Goldsworthy and His Masterpieces’, viewed 25 October 2012, from http://www.kon.org/urc/v9/interconnected-through-art/binkly.pdf Bleicher, S., 2011, Contemporary Color: Theory and Use, Cengage Learning, Mason, OH. Donovan, M., Fiske, T., Goldsworthy, A., & Beardsley, J., 2010, The Andy Goldsworthy Project, Thames & Hudson, London. Grande, J.K., 2003, Balance: Art and Nature, Black Rose Books, New York. Grande, J.K., 2004, Art Nature Dialogues: Interviews with Environmental Artists, SUNY Press, New York. Hicks, L.E. & King, R.J.H., 2007, ‘Confronting Environmental Collapse: Visual Culture, Art Education, and Environmental Responsibility’, Studies in Art Education 48(4), 332+ Kang, Y., 2008, ‘Exploring Connections between Environmental Education and Ecological Public Art’, Childhood Education 85(1), 13+ Malpas, W., 2010, Andy Goldsworthy in Close-up, Crescent Moon Publishing, New York. Rocca, A., 2007, Natural Architecture, Princeton Architectural Press, New Jersey. Stankiewicz, M.A. & Krug, D.H., 1997, ‘Art & Ecology’, Art Education 50(6), 4+ Thompson, I.H., 2000, Ecology, Community, and Delight: Sources of Values in Landscape Architecture, E & FN Spon, London. Appendix A Andy Goldsworthy’s Leafwork *image taken from Google Pictures: http://www.google.com.ph/imgres?um=1&hl=fil&rlz=1C1DVCC_enPH352PH352&biw=1280&bih=845&tbm=isch&tbnid=dbhEXszeUzmvAM:&imgrefurl=http://sylthane.blogspot.com/2011/10/land-art.html&docid=F7_ZqCYpBp_voM&imgurl=http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KMq9TU8BUzk/TpVnNDneRzI/AAAAAAAAASI/7pmjNRTc4u0/s1600/Andy%252BGoldsworthy%252BLeafwork.jpg&w=526&h=600&ei=xxuMUKnpB-TymAXIioDIAQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=184&vpy=131&dur=377&hovh=240&hovw=210&tx=118&ty=157&sig=106150429898820351943&page=1&tbnh=144&tbnw=137&start=0&ndsp=25&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0,i:62 Appendix B Andy Goldsworthy’s Three Cairns, New York Installation, East Coast Cairns *image taken from Google Picture: http://www.google.com.ph/imgres?um=1&hl=fil&rlz=1C1DVCC_enPH352PH352&biw=1280&bih=845&tbm=isch&tbnid=UB8j8PugjGAFLM:&imgrefurl=http://www.wnyc.org/articles/slideshows/2008/aug/12/goldsworthy/&docid=2eCLm_BULWCOTM&imgurl=http://media.wnyc.org/media/photologue/photos/cache/goldsworthy_ss5_storyslide_image.jpg&w=450&h=350&ei=VhyMUJDcJKjgmAWPrIFw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=358&vpy=208&dur=4722&hovh=198&hovw=255&tx=172&ty=161&sig=106150429898820351943&page=1&tbnh=134&tbnw=161&start=0&ndsp=23&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0,i:67 Appendix C Andy Goldsworthy’s Three Cairns, Des Moines Art Centre, Midwest Cairns *image taken from Google Picture: http://www.google.com.ph/imgres?um=1&hl=fil&rlz=1C1DVCC_enPH352PH352&biw=1280&bih=845&tbm=isch&tbnid=t4UW-j31-7RmPM:&imgrefurl=http://arctangent.smugmug.com/Travel/Iowa/Goldsworthy-Cairns/6516014_wJojq%23334992403_wgqFG&docid=QiGPilucdaninM&imgurl=http://arctangent.smugmug.com/Travel/Iowa/Goldsworthy-Cairns/e-DesMArtCenter03-09-03005/334992403_wgqFG-L.jpg&w=798&h=600&ei=xByMUKiuDYLvmAW9g4DYAw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=303&vpy=212&dur=1878&hovh=195&hovw=259&tx=137&ty=102&sig=106150429898820351943&page=1&tbnh=139&tbnw=186&start=0&ndsp=20&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0,i:67 Appendix D Andy Goldsworthy’s Three Cairns, San Diego Museum of Contemporary Art, California, West Coast Cairns *image taken from Google Pictures: http://www.google.com.ph/imgres?um=1&hl=fil&rlz=1C1DVCC_enPH352PH352&biw=1280&bih=845&tbm=isch&tbnid=2FUUmnWNz3p3OM:&imgrefurl=http://artbyjim.blogspot.com/2010/05/andy-goldsworthy-part-ii-risk-and.html&docid=BcuVZHHQCwHrfM&imgurl=http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2WLYWuE329M/S-2tTKxGtKI/AAAAAAAAFJ8/-uGYaBZwb2s/s1600/West%252BCoast%252BCairn%252Bmedium.jpg&w=474&h=640&ei=AB6MUN6DK5DLmAXkvYDoAw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=300&vpy=120&dur=2112&hovh=261&hovw=193&tx=110&ty=161&sig=106150429898820351943&page=1&tbnh=143&tbnw=109&start=0&ndsp=29&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0,i:65 Appendix E Nils-Udo’s Spruce Tree Planting *image taken from Google Pictures: http://www.google.com.ph/imgres?um=1&hl=fil&rlz=1C1DVCC_enPH352PH352&biw=1280&bih=845&tbm=isch&tbnid=84qbSe2-lV4RIM:&imgrefurl=http://greenmuseum.org/content/wif_detail_view/img_id-299__disp_size-4__artist_id-36__work_id-69.html&docid=A9mQbuXCf1AIJM&imgurl=http://greenmuseum.org/wif/nils_udo_waterhouse_l.jpg&w=1200&h=1200&ei=qR6MUJrGPKGhmQXwkoGABA&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=365&sig=106150429898820351943&page=1&tbnh=143&tbnw=135&start=0&ndsp=29&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0,i:62&tx=44&ty=55 Appendix F Nils-Udo’s To Gustave Mahler *image taken from Google Pictures: http://www.google.com.ph/imgres?um=1&hl=fil&rlz=1C1DVCC_enPH352PH352&biw=1280&bih=845&tbm=isch&tbnid=SKPz0_4kQVwFCM:&imgrefurl=http://greenmuseum.org/content/work_index/img_id-297__prev_size-0__artist_id-36__work_id-68.html&docid=xzRYthQ95ZNvLM&imgurl=http://greenmuseum.org/wif/nilo_udo_hommage_ag_mahler_94_s.jpg&w=300&h=283&ei=UB-MUJOEG8igmQWO84CwDg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=182&vpy=139&dur=24&hovh=218&hovw=231&tx=142&ty=117&sig=106150429898820351943&page=1&tbnh=137&tbnw=154&start=0&ndsp=32&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0,i:62 Appendix G Nils-Udo’s Romantic Landscape *image taken from Google Pictures: http://www.google.com.ph/imgres?um=1&hl=fil&rlz=1C1DVCC_enPH352PH352&biw=1280&bih=845&tbm=isch&tbnid=H7UU0093NWNwcM:&imgrefurl=http://riversshiverssliversandtides.blogspot.com/2009/11/nils-udo-sicklecal-sculpture-or-death.html&docid=k24j3bBa_DH92M&imgurl=http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_JCCXA-kxSAk/SwOEJYoTlRI/AAAAAAAAAHU/N7XG0R7EWtQ/s400/nils7.jpg&w=216&h=162&ei=vB-MUJrFJa-VmQXJnIDIAw&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=286&sig=106150429898820351943&page=1&tbnh=128&tbnw=172&start=0&ndsp=32&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0,i:65&tx=76&ty=55 Appendix H Nils-Udo’s The Blue Flower: Landscape for Heinrich von Ofterdingen *image taken from Google Pictures: http://www.google.com.ph/imgres?um=1&hl=fil&sa=N&rlz=1C1DVCC_enPH352PH352&biw=1280&bih=845&tbm=isch&tbnid=JFgzrTHzi46siM:&imgrefurl=http://www.sculpture.org/documents/scmag99/sept99/nils/nils.shtml&docid=AUKxSfR28mO3HM&imgurl=http://www.sculpture.org/documents/scmag99/sept99/nils/nils4.jpg&w=216&h=142&ei=bCCMUI_wNqTMmAW10YG4Ag&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=412&vpy=195&dur=158&hovh=113&hovw=172&tx=82&ty=94&sig=106150429898820351943&page=1&tbnh=113&tbnw=172&start=0&ndsp=45&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0,i:68 Appendix I Nils-Udo’s Clemson Clay Nest *image taken from Google Pictures: http://www.google.com.ph/imgres?um=1&hl=fil&rlz=1C1DVCC_enPH352PH352&biw=1280&bih=845&tbm=isch&tbnid=xe9yxZJcwGrkHM:&imgrefurl=http://deepspacearts.com/2011/08/02/clemson-clay-nest-by-nils-udo/&docid=027WT_SaqrtaAM&imgurl=http://deepspacearts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/nils-udo1.jpeg&w=468&h=428&ei=0CCMUN3aKMKKmwXA64DQCA&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=317&sig=106150429898820351943&page=1&tbnh=141&tbnw=159&start=0&ndsp=30&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0,i:65&tx=123&ty=82 Read More