Land art is an artistic stream of contemporary trends that set aside exposure to museums and galleries. This art showcases nature and the landscape and uses raw materials like wood, earth, rocks or branches, etc. An overview of the subject.
Land art, a creative concept in harmony with nature!
Land art is one of the new trends in contemporary art and emerged in the 1960s. This artistic trend was carried by artists wishing to bring the art out of museums and galleries. This art reflects above all the natural world and the artists intervene on the components of space and landscape. They use natural materials like hay, branches, foliage, or rocks. Most of the time, the works are ephemeral as their installation evolves until they biodegrade over time. Generally, works are done outdoors, subject to natural erosion, and exposed to the elements of nature. This is one of the reasons why some land artworks eventually disappear. Art lovers who do not have the opportunity to see them first-hand appreciate it largely through videos and photos.
Goals of Land art
Land art tries to escape the traditional notions of the exhibition in galleries and museums. Artists want to reinvent forms of expression and places to offer their creations new, urban and natural spaces. They want to launch the principle of installation in nature and simultaneously develop their interest in raw natural materials. Earth is thus the most privileged material with its high symbolism. Land art also offers a new version of the artistic treatment of nature and the landscape. This is at the same time minimal, monumental, and conceptual.
The core pillars of Land art
The emblematic artists of Land art are Walter de Maria, Michael Heizer, Richard Long, Robert Smithson, and Nils Udo. These artists intervene in the landscape and modify it in a lasting or temporary way. They are inspired by sacred and archaeological sites and establish an intimate union with nature. Most artists add foreign elements to their works and others simply use existing substances and materials. Walter de Maria, for example, fills the floors of the galleries with a layer of compost and is among the leaders of “earthwork”.
