

The photographs leave the reason and spirit of the work outside. A drawing or painting would be too defined. Process and decay are implicit in that moment. There is an intensity about a work at its peak that I hope is expressed in the image. Each work grows, stays, decays – integral parts of a cycle which the photograph shows at its height, marking the moment when the work is most alive. It is very demanding and a balance is kept in which documentation does not interrupt the making. Taking the photograph is not a casual act.

Goldsworthy has written about the significance of photography in his work, most notably in Hand to Earth, published in 2004: Although these are by their nature impermanent, they are documented in the form of photographs and texts. Goldsworthy’s practice encompasses gallery-based sculptures and installations using stone, wood and other natural materials, as well as permanent constructions made outside in the landscape – including earthworks and pieces consisting of dry stone walls – and more ephemeral constructions made using ice, leaves, flower petals, sticks and rocks. Often categorised as a ‘land artist’, Goldsworthy’s work is frequently linked with that of Richard Long (born 1945) and Hamish Fulton (born 1946) in that it directly engages with the natural landscape. It is possible the last work I make will be a hole. I am drawn to them with the same urge I have to look over a cliff edge. The black is the earth’s flame – its energy. The flame makes the energy of fire visible. 5 Why does Andy Goldsworthy Use Photography Andy Goldsworthys art is always changing because it is made of nature He likes to capture the pieces as it Grows.

The black of a hole is like the flame of a fire. Goldsworthy has made holes in natural materials throughout most of his career, and has explained their significance for his work in his publication Hand to Earth: Typically, the title of the work describes the object, location and date of the artist’s intervention.

The effect is one of irregular concentric rings, getting progressively darker towards the centre as the holes get deeper. My remit is to work with nature as a whole.Holes / Middleton Woods, Yorkshire / 1 February 1981 1981 is a black and white photograph showing three holes, each inside a larger one, that have been made in a forest floor. But I have to: I can’t edit the materials I work with. He has been quoted as saying, “I think it’s incredibly brave to be working with flowers and leaves and petals. The materials used in Andy Goldsworthy’s art often include brightly coloured flowers, icicles, leaves, mud, pinecones, snow, stone, twigs, and thorns. “It’s just about life and the need to understand that a lot of things in life do not last.” Working as both sculptor and photographer, Goldsworthy crafts his installations out of rocks, ice, leaves, or branches, cognizant that the landscape will change, then carefully documents the ephemeral collaborations with nature through photography. You can make them on your own, or with your family, pals, kids, pets, neighbours or anyone else you might be sharing your home with during these unprecedented times.Īndy Goldsworthy is a British artist known for his site-specific installations involving natural materials and the passage of time. Sculptures at Home give you a chance to make your own artworks with materials that are commonly found at home.
