Andy Goldsworthy Andy Goldsworthy

By: Jason LiessBy: Jason Liess

ANDY GOLDSWORTHYANDY GOLDSWORTHY

From: EnglandFrom: EnglandBorn: 29, July 1956 to Born: 29, July 1956 to

Present (Age 54)Present (Age 54)Field: Sculpture and Field: Sculpture and

PhotographyPhotography

ArtArt

Andy Goldsworthy is in the Andy Goldsworthy is in the Environmental / Land Environmental / Land MovementsMovements

He uses found natural He uses found natural materials including icicles, materials including icicles, stones, and leavesstones, and leaves

InspirationInspiration

Andy Goldsworthy was inspired by Constantin Brancusi, Richard Long, Robert Smithson,Andy Goldsworthy was inspired by Constantin Brancusi, Richard Long, Robert Smithson,

Joseph Beuys, Ben Nicholson, Paul Nash, and David Nash. Andy Goldsworthy tried toJoseph Beuys, Ben Nicholson, Paul Nash, and David Nash. Andy Goldsworthy tried to

depict the beauty of nature by placing ordinary natural objects like leaves and ice intodepict the beauty of nature by placing ordinary natural objects like leaves and ice into

Extraordinary compositions. Goldsworthy also produced his nature inspired works duringExtraordinary compositions. Goldsworthy also produced his nature inspired works during

the Green Revolution in which saving the planet through recycling and alternative energythe Green Revolution in which saving the planet through recycling and alternative energy

were major goals. Goldsworthy realized that nature was not all beauty but in fact has awere major goals. Goldsworthy realized that nature was not all beauty but in fact has a

harsher side. He said, “I find some of my new works disturbing, just as I find nature as aharsher side. He said, “I find some of my new works disturbing, just as I find nature as a

whole disturbing. The landscape is often perceived as pastoral, pretty, beautifulwhole disturbing. The landscape is often perceived as pastoral, pretty, beautiful

something to be enjoyed as a backdrop to your weekend before going back to the nittysomething to be enjoyed as a backdrop to your weekend before going back to the nitty

gritty of urban life. But anybody who works the land knows it's not like that. Nature can begritty of urban life. But anybody who works the land knows it's not like that. Nature can be

harsh – difficult and brutal, as well as beautiful. You couldn't walk five minutes from hereharsh – difficult and brutal, as well as beautiful. You couldn't walk five minutes from here

without coming across something that is dead or decaying.“ Overall Goldsworthy is awithout coming across something that is dead or decaying.“ Overall Goldsworthy is a

fabulous artist who knows how to morph the horrors of nature into something of beauty.fabulous artist who knows how to morph the horrors of nature into something of beauty.

Andy Goldsworhty Andy Goldsworhty Stacked iciclesStacked iciclesabout 8 inches in lengthabout 8 inches in lengthMorecambe Bay, LancashireMorecambe Bay, LancashireFebruary 1978February 1978

Andy GoldsworthyAndy Goldsworthy

Ice on IceIce on Ice

Ilkley, YorkshireIlkley, Yorkshire

January 1980January 1980

Andy GoldsworthyAndy GoldsworthyFoxglove leavesFoxglove leavessplit down centresplit down centreVein laid aroundVein laid aroundholeholeLeeds, YorkshireLeeds, YorkshireOctober 1977October 1977

Andy GoldsworthyAndy GoldsworthyFeathers plucked fromFeathers plucked fromdead heron cut withdead heron cut withsharp stone strippedsharp stone strippeddown one side down one side About three-and-a-halfAbout three-and-a-halfFeet overall lengthFeet overall lengthMade over three calm Made over three calm Days cold morningsDays cold morningsFrost smell from heronFrost smell from heronbecoming pungent asbecoming pungent aseach day warmed upeach day warmed upSwindale Beck Wood,Swindale Beck Wood,CumbriaCumbria24- 26 February 198224- 26 February 1982

Andy GoldsworthyAndy Goldsworthy

Yellow andYellow and

dark elm leafdark elm leaf

WorkWork

Penpont,Penpont,

DumfriesshirDumfriesshir

8 November8 November

19861986

Andy GoldsworthyAndy Goldsworthy

Woven silver birch circleWoven silver birch circle

Hampstead Heath, LondonHampstead Heath, London

13-14 December 198513-14 December 1985

Andy GoldsworthyAndy Goldsworthy

Elm leavesElm leaves

Ilkley, YorkshireIlkley, Yorkshire

September 1978September 1978

Slate coneSlate cone

Langdale, CumbriaLangdale, Cumbria

August 1986August 1986

Broken stonesBroken stones

scratched whitescratched white

Morecambe Bay, LancashireMorecambe Bay, Lancashire

January 1978January 1978

Carefully broken Carefully broken pebblespebbles

scratched white with scratched white with another stoneanother stone

St. Abbs, ScotlandSt. Abbs, Scotland

1 June 19851 June 1985

Cracked earth removedCracked earth removed

St. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis, Missouri

9 October 19869 October 1986

Sycamore Sycamore patchpatch

Glasgow, Glasgow, LanarkshireLanarkshire

31 October 31 October 19861986

Art CriticismArt Criticism

DescribeDescribe By: Andy GoldsworthyBy: Andy Goldsworthy Materials: RocksMaterials: Rocks Type of Art: SculptureType of Art: Sculpture Title: Broken StonesTitle: Broken Stones Created In: 1978Created In: 1978 First Appearance: The first First Appearance: The first

thing you see is the cracked thing you see is the cracked stonesstones

Use of Lines: The cracks in Use of Lines: The cracks in the stones form many uneven the stones form many uneven lineslines

AnalyzeAnalyze

Color is used in the Color is used in the background to contrast the background to contrast the gray stonesgray stones

Light is used on the rocks to Light is used on the rocks to create a sense of divinitycreate a sense of divinity

The artist uses the cracked The artist uses the cracked shapes of the rocks to shatter shapes of the rocks to shatter your sense of a divine your sense of a divine presencepresence

InterpretationInterpretation

I think that the artist is I think that the artist is trying to have the rocks trying to have the rocks represent shattered represent shattered emotions even in times of emotions even in times of light and goodlight and good

The artist created this The artist created this artwork to represent the artwork to represent the wonders of nature and its wonders of nature and its contrasting appearancecontrasting appearance

JudgmentJudgment

This work represents the This work represents the beauty of naturebeauty of nature

I think that the work it in I think that the work it in well with nature and was well with nature and was enhanced by the fact that enhanced by the fact that nature ultimately nature ultimately destroyed it representing destroyed it representing how nature can destroy how nature can destroy beautybeauty

Review QuestionsReview Questions

Were is Andy Goldsworthy Were is Andy Goldsworthy From?From?

A.A. FranceFrance

B.B. The United StatesThe United States

C.C. EnglandEngland

D.D. ScotlandScotland

What Medium does What Medium does Goldsworthy use?Goldsworthy use?

A.A. Natural MaterialsNatural Materials

B.B. MetalMetal

C.C. PaintPaint

D.D. GlassGlass

What year did he die?What year did he die?

A.A. 20052005

B.B. 19981998

C.C. 20102010

D.D. He is still aliveHe is still alive

Which of the following movements was Which of the following movements was Goldsworthy part of?Goldsworthy part of?

A.A. Environmental Environmental

B.B. ImpressionismImpressionism

C.C. RococoRococo

D.D. ExpressionismExpressionism

What material is this work made What material is this work made of?of?

A.A. LeavesLeaves

B.B. ClayClay

C.C. TwigsTwigs

D.D. FeathersFeathers

BibliographyBibliography

http://www.jmam.org/Wier%20Education/http://www.jmam.org/Wier%20Education/New%20pdf%20files/New%20pdf%20files/FourStepsinArtCriticismwebready.pdfFourStepsinArtCriticismwebready.pdf

http://www.goldsworthy.cc.gla.ac.uk/http://www.goldsworthy.cc.gla.ac.uk/http://andygoldsworthy.tripod.com/http://andygoldsworthy.tripod.com/