Richard Long: Landscape Art
A Line Made by Walking 1967
I first heard of Richard Long in class whilst watching a documentary. There was a mixed reaction in the room but I found it interesting.
He uses the landscape and its contents to create his outdoor work. The image above was created by walking up and down grass until it creates a line in the grass. Then all he has to prove it happened is a photo. Then over time the grass recovers and is gone. This struck me the most. That he doesn't have physical evidence that it had happened But I love that the materials are natural and don't damage the surroundings.
Not all his work alters the landscape. In A Ten Mile Walk in England he draws a line across a section of a map and that's the piece. It Doesn't follow paths intentionally anyway. And makes the participant jump walls and cross boggy areas. I think he put some thought into it so that it didn't hit a place that couldn't be walked or put the participant in any danger. I found it interesting to use a walk over land as an artwork.
It's not something I would make myself but it's his thing and Art is so open that you can express yourself in so many ways, and not everyone is going to like. it. In the documentary the presenter walks the route and expresses his experience in his own way. Its only appeal seemed to be that it makes you appreciate the land around you. You have to judge the route ahead. And look around you. It could be a statement about following the same path too much you fail to experience anything new.
He uses the landscape and its contents to create his outdoor work. The image above was created by walking up and down grass until it creates a line in the grass. Then all he has to prove it happened is a photo. Then over time the grass recovers and is gone. This struck me the most. That he doesn't have physical evidence that it had happened But I love that the materials are natural and don't damage the surroundings.
Not all his work alters the landscape. In A Ten Mile Walk in England he draws a line across a section of a map and that's the piece. It Doesn't follow paths intentionally anyway. And makes the participant jump walls and cross boggy areas. I think he put some thought into it so that it didn't hit a place that couldn't be walked or put the participant in any danger. I found it interesting to use a walk over land as an artwork.
It's not something I would make myself but it's his thing and Art is so open that you can express yourself in so many ways, and not everyone is going to like. it. In the documentary the presenter walks the route and expresses his experience in his own way. Its only appeal seemed to be that it makes you appreciate the land around you. You have to judge the route ahead. And look around you. It could be a statement about following the same path too much you fail to experience anything new.
Sahara line 1988
I think he has an obsession with lines. This one is a little more striking than the first and a little more labour intensive. But I like how he has made it so your eye leads up the oddly shaped rock formation. And again he only has a photo record of it.
Below is a similar work but this time he has taken the materials indoor.
Stone Line 1977
White Water Circle 1994
River Avon Mud Crescent 2011
I just wanted to look at his other work in comparison to his landscape stuff. I love the scale of these and the way they are so much more expressive than his line work.
Richard was interesting to look into. I don't fully understand it but his work is great in that way he allows the work to fade back into the landscape by using elements of that landscape to make his work.
Richard was interesting to look into. I don't fully understand it but his work is great in that way he allows the work to fade back into the landscape by using elements of that landscape to make his work.
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