Artists, Land, Nature
The use of nature as palette and canvas has a long history, and this volume documents the contemporary use of natural processes and materials in the work of five varied artists. The introductory essay by art critic and curator Gooding offers an opportunity to examine the historical and intellectual context of these and other artists in terms of human relationships with nature. As discussed in interviews with British artist Furlong, the five artists represented in this work are all involved in the incorporation and manipulation of natural objects in the creative process. Their works are greatly diverse-including leaf forms by herman de vries, casts and assemblages of Aborigine artifacts by Nikolaus Lang, Richard Long's use of the landscape itself as material, Giuseppe Penone's interventions in nature, and splendid site-specific works of Chris Drury-but empathy and delight in the natural world is common to them all. The essentially ephemeral quality of many of these works and their often inaccessible physical locations make this volume a valuable source for any study of the contemporary art world outside of the urban context. With 100 full-color illustrations, this is suitable for any large collection with sections on environmental interests or landscape design.Paula Frosch, Metropolitan Museum of Art Lib., New YorkCopyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.