Andy Goldsworthy: Visual Culture - Coursework Example

Introduction The changes in contemporary art have led to several who are re-examining the expressions and approaches of artistic works. One of the leading artists that is showing a different type of relevance to this is Andy Goldsworthy. The works and pieces of Goldsworthy are known for the naturalistic expressions which are built in a time of machinery and manufacturing (Goldsworthy, 1990: 1). This statement is one which has influenced other schools of thought and artists, specifically with the strong expression which relates to his works. Goldsworthy’s art is one which is able to show an opposition to the current state of society and culture while thriving on the natural, specifically to show a different approach to the natural settings which are often disregarded in today’s society. Background and Philosophies of Goldsworthy Goldsworthy was born and grew up in Britain and is best known for his naturalistic work in photography, sculpture and site – specific art. Goldsworthy was born in 1929 and lived until 2001. His earlier life was spent by the green belt, a community specific for the naturalistic elements which were a part of the area. This was combined with the work which Goldsworthy began at the age of 13 as a farmhand. In 1974, Goldsworthy studied fine arts at the Bradford College of Art followed by his studies at Preston Polytechnic. He became a professor of applied mathematics at the University of Leeds and remained in Scotland and England for the rest of his life. His works continue to carry the same influences with the installations of the natural settings as well as the belief that nature is one which is not only based on the natural reflections and settings, but also has forms of artistic elements combined with the setting, all which are disturbing and should be noted with his works (Malpas, 2008: 15). The artistic elements that are throughout Goldsworthy’s work are combined with the philosophies which he carried throughout his life. The main component which was the basis of Goldsworthy’s work was from what is now considered eco – art. This used the natural elements, patterns and frameworks of nature to combine into the main ideologies of the art works. By highlighting the natural patterns that were in nature, there was also the ability to show the values which were in society. The aesthetics were combined with this by focusing on the geometries, natural patterns and the elements of nature which stood out because of the values seen in ecological systems. Goldsworthy found pride in his works by showing how nature was one which shouldn’t be considered as an element of sameness, but instead, was based on the understanding that noticing the patterns also allowed one to notice art (McLean, 2002: 1). Works of Goldsworthy and Contextual Relevance There are several elements of Goldsworthy which were noted not only for his personal thoughts, but also which were relevant to the context of the time. The work of the time was one which was based on the growing of industrialization, factories, machinery and construction jungles of the cities that were emerging at a rapid rate. The work of Goldsworthy rejected the unnatural status which most were referring to. This came from the rebellion against artists such as Andy Warhol, who represented the artistic works of the time through concepts such as Campbell’s Soup. The take which Goldsworthy represented was one which sent the message that nature should still be looked into and considered as a main component in nature. The ideal was to move back into nature and to release the wild, as opposed to constructing the new out of the machinery which was quickly emerging at the time (Adams, 2003: 5). An example of the works which showed a rebellion against the machinery was in “Reed Screen” as seen in image 1. Image 1: Reed Screen This particular installation piece was inclusive of the reeds of a tree which were intertwined like a spider web. In the middle of this was the shape of a tree from a sculpture which Goldsworthy placed. All were shaped from the same materials of wood and were constructed with the geometries and symmetry which were a part of the natural. These were combined with the breaking of the figure in the middle with the oval. The combination of natural shapes and elements, as well as the overall placement, shows how the true and natural geometries and pieces of the earth can be placed and changed in ways to create artistic works. This particular ideal is one which couldn’t be done with machinery, showing the intricate abilities of art and the representation which it was able to create. Another image which has this same representation is “Rain Shadows,” a photograph taken in Scotland from 1984 and as seen in image 2. Image 2: Rain Shadows The photograph in this particular image is one which is represented by the natural elements of the rocks as well as the backdrop of the larger rocks. The only time in which this moves out of the natural element is with the placement of the man in the middle of the picture as a shadow. The importance of this photograph is one which shows the same message based on creating an image of man as the only unnatural element in the surroundings. The man can be the same idealization of the machinery, buildings and other manufactured concepts which were in society. While the natural elements continue to have the same textures from the rain, the shadow of the man stands out while not fitting into the natural element. The concepts which are a part of the works of Goldsworthy all show the same ideal of being eco-friendly, going back to the natural elements of nature and working with ideas of conservation. Goldsworthy displays how man is the unnatural element in the world of nature, which creates a sense of imbalance. He also shows how nature is able to show the symmetries, natural formulas, ideals and the representations which are a part of nature. Each of the ideals is one which is based on the changes which were occurring during the time because of the building of machinery. In later years, this led to statements against consumerism, the vast destruction of the forests and of nature as well as the movement back to the eco nature which was throughout the world. The culture which Goldsworthy represented and gave a voice to was based specifically on the ideals of moving back into the natural element and becoming a part of nature outside of what man had established (Howells, 2003: 15). Schools of Thought in Contemporary Art The different pieces of work which Goldsworthy represented moved not only into his specific philosophies about what was occurring with the environment throughout the 1900s. His works also became represented among other contemporary schools of thought, specifically because of the ideal of contemporary art and the way in which this could be altered by experimentation and movement into other forms used. The first way in which this was represented was with the materials which Goldsworthy chose to use. There were few times when his art works moved outside of using the natural materials that were already available. His materials were also not altered to fit a specific style, but instead kept and maintained the natural look and feel which he originally found them in. Whether with installation art or the digital works, Goldsworthy was always experimenting with what was naturally available and highlighting it, as opposed to changing or modifying materials. This became a main component of schools of thought for contemporary art work, specifically with the avant-garde and contemporary experiments available (Day, 2003: 57). There are several examples where Goldsworthy was able to establish the meaning of using the natural elements already available and highlighting them. A popular work which shows this is the photograph “Footprints” as seen in image 3. Image 3: Footprints The particular figure is one which uses rocks as the main ideology. However, the symmetry is one which is often seen in nature, specifically among seashells. Even though this is seen among nature within the ocean, Goldsworthy is able to take the idea and transfer it to different materials. However, these materials are also natural elements which are broken, painted and slightly changed. By using everything completely natural, then altering it so it is highlighted, it creates a different technique with the materials that are used. This became an emphasis in several contemporary schools of thought, specifically by finding textures and representative materials that are able to show an idea without the traditional expectations often used. Another concept which Goldsworthy is often referred to with his works and contemporary schools comes from the question of what the artwork is supposed to mean. The past and traditional forms of art all were based on the expectations with techniques, use of the platform of the canvas to emphasize a specific part of life or a portrait and other philosophies. However, Goldsworthy focused his digital art and the naturalistic impressions into the idea of capturing what already naturally existed and allowing this to be what the artwork was. The contemporary schools of thought often follow this, such as with an impressionistic thought form of capturing a moment or creating a natural element that is within the natural. Goldsworthy is often studied for his capacity to use the natural materials and to represent the completely natural within any given situation. When capturing this in digital photography, transferring nature to the studio or gallery and creating a different meaning from the installation art in nature, there is the ability to place something new with the perception while capturing the philosophical ideals of nature and what already exists (Kountoupes, 2009: 3). Showing artistic intentions and being a part of art which was representative of one’s thought process is seen in several of the works by Goldsworthy. For example, his sculpture in image 4 shows the idea of intention with the art. Image 4: Sculpture The sculpture is one which shows the tree in a grave with the stones around. This ideal shows the death of nature through the sculpture and creates a direct intent and message to the spectator. There isn’t room for interpretation, but relates to the ecological ideals that Goldsworthy was interested in. This particular concept then created a specific understanding of the intent of the artist while becoming studied among contemporary artists for displaying a specific message to those in society. Conclusion The concepts of Goldsworthy are recognized for the several areas of relevance from his installations, digital work and sculptures. The main ideal is based on the concept of the eco system and the need to bring back nature. All of his works show a direct movement against the machinery and technology which was a part of modern society and instead highlighted the significant points of nature through the symmetry and unique materials which were found in different regions. Each of his pieces was able to create a strong representation of what it meant to connect to the natural, go back to living outside of the cement jungles and to be a part of the system of the outside elements. References Adams, William. (2003). Future Nation: A Vision for Conservation Earthscan: UK. Day, M. (2003). “Contemporary Art and Student Learning.” Art Education 47 (2). Goldsworthy, A. (1990). Andy Goldsworthy: A Collaboration with Nature. Routledge: New York. Howells, R. (2003). Visual Culture. Routledge: New York. Kountoupes, M. (2009). “Eating the Allegory.” RIT 4 (16). Malpas, William. (2008). Andy Goldsworthy: Pocket Guide. Crescent Moon: Kent. McLean, Ian. (2002). “Sublime Futures: Eco – Art and the Return of the Real in Peter Dombrovskis, John Wolseley and Andy Goldsworthy.” Transformations (5). Read More