Deakin describes the Goldsworthy’s working with snow and ice- “nothing disappears so suddenly, so like a dream.” Note that the destruction of this piece does not come from an angry spectator, but the forces of nature and time. This impending disappearance lends an importance to the work, its rarity is conveyed through the photo. It is a one of a kind, one of a time artwork, damned to extinction in its creation, which contributes to a strange air of appreciation. The bright sunlight and the wetness it reveals both emphasize its soon perishing. The shape and position of the sculpture is unexpected and lend it an otherworldly appearance, adding to the perception of its fleeting nature.
To the artist, the sculpture's fate is not seen as an impending tragedy though. For Goldsworthy, destruction from time and nature is not separate from the creation of the work. The decay of the piece is a continuance of the work and is necessary for its completion. This ebb and flow of art mimics the workings of nature. The ephemeral style of his work allows also him to be prolific, striving to create one or two works a day.
The impermanence of the projects allow the creation to become a very private, personal matter. The act provides no tangible piece, therefor no gallery will ever own it. Therefor, these works are an iconoclastic gesture toward the institution of the gallery in some ways, but unlike the very public street art, which may have the same aim, Goldsworthy excludes the viewer almost completely from the work. This further disrupts the status quo of sculpture. The viewer is forced to observe a mere photo of the great monument, a morsel left over from the feast of creativity, which may or may not fall in a gallery.
Deakin, Roger. "Zen And The Art Of Andy Goldsworthy." Modern Painters 10.(1997): 50-53. Art Full Text (H.W. Wilson). Web. 12 Feb. 2013.
Carter Hantula:
ReplyDeleteThis is an extremely interesting artist and work of art. I really love the idea that this work only fulfills its purpose once it is actually destroyed. In this instance the destruction of it becomes its complete creation which really is counterintuitive to the idea of "destruction". It's almost upsetting that you cant 'experience' it because it looks so beautiful. The elements of time, the forces of nature, and destruction as a creator make you think of the fleetingness of life itself. While at the same time those morbid thoughts are espoused by something beautiful which creates a sort of inner conflict when thinking about this artwork.
I really liked your discussion about Goldsworthy's work, Icicle Spiral. It was really interesting how you approached the subject of time and destruction with this piece of art. I agree that the "Icicle Spiral" represents the theme of time and decay since it is ice and will melt. Just like many other artists, Goldsworthy took a photo of his artwork rather than presenting it in real-life form, which would obviously be hard since it is an icicle, but it is also a representation of the meltdown of this icicle and how time passes.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I am not quite sure how this relates to destruction. Yes, I agree, it is a work that can represent time and the passing of it, therefore being a symbol of decay, but no one vandalized the artwork nor did it get destroyed through iconoclastic means. I think that if it was an image of a smashed icicle spiral then it would apply more closely to the theme of destruction.
I like the way you organized your post and your approach to the subject. I was really interested in the artwork you discussed. I think you could compare it to another artwork and discuss how the icicle spiral represents destruction more than the other work.
Your post is very well written and keeps the attention of the reader because it is not very long but I would have liked to see more information about his process and how he reached this point in the way he creates art. This is a beautiful piece of art and I think that Icicle Spiral is an excellent example of the way something aesthetically pleasing can come from the destruction of that form as well. I wonder why he chose a spiral or ice, and what meaning does this have for the artist? This work relates to the artist I discussed who did street art because he too was trying to move away from the gallery, in this case Goldsworthy moves to nature is the case of the artist I discussed the street, both are trying to break away from the institutionalized art world where the value of works can be measured in terms of its profit.
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