Art and Nature: The Emergence of Ecological Art - Artsper Magazine 6/4/23, 23:16

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A closer look • 10 Feb 2021

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Art and Nature: The Emergence of Ecological Art - Artsper Magazine 6/4/23, 23:16

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#ECOLOGY #ENVIRONMENT #MICHAEL HEIZER #PATRICIA JOHANSON

#ROBERT SMITHSON #WALTER DE MARIA

Nils Udo, Ipomeas sur l’eau, 1990

Art and nature have always found ways to intersect with one another, the latter
being a huge source of inspiration for artists. Found across many forms: rural and

historical for the Classicists, grandiose and wild for the Romantics, or sensitive and

poetic for the Impressionists. But it was only much later that the artist became

aware of the environment’s fragilit

fragility.. Art subsequently became the preferred
medium to express this. Nature began to be depicted beyond pure aestheticism, as

art and nature found themselves at the heart of this political battle. In fact,

nature’s deterioration has profoundly changed the relationship between artists and
the landscape. Artsper invites you to discover how combining art and nature turned

into an ecological and environmental battle during the 20th century.

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Art and Nature: The Emergence of Ecological Art - Artsper Magazine 6/4/23, 23:16

The in situ Method: Considering the Work in its

Environment
In the United States, artistic practices were turned upside down from 1969 to 1970. Many artists

began to think beyond the traditional venues of galleries, museums and studios. Similar to the

Impressionists at their time – who left their studios to paint outdoors – American artists
abandoned galleries in favor of large, isolated and natural spaces. Subsequently, a transition

began to occur, as the abandonment of enclosed spaces became synonymous with regained

freedom.

The emergence of site-specific land art marked a true turning point. From then on, artworks

were no longer autonomous. Instead, they derived from the space which they were a part of.

Therefore, artworks can no longer be understood without considering the place of its

presentation. For in situ artworks, which are often presented in the form of an installation, the
unique environment plays an active role.

Sam Dougados

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Land Art and Nature: The Emergence of an

Environmental Approach
In situ art is the preferred process for land art
art, a movement that attempts to create works

directly in the natural environment. The landscape’s natural elements become the very material

of production, since these works are made of materials such as rock, earth and sand. Many
believe that this combination of art and nature ought to be considered as an experience rather

than according to their market value.

Robert Smithson, a theorist and iconic figure within land art, offers a fine example of this
through Spiral Jetty .

Walter De Maria, Lightning Field (1977)

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Art and Nature: The Emergence of Ecological Art - Artsper Magazine 6/4/23, 23:16

The Lightning Field by Walter De Maria is another well-known work of this movement. It is a

permanent installation of 400 steel posts. They are spread over a kilometre of desert plain in

Quemado, New Mexico. Completed in 1977, this work is specifically designed to attract lightning.

A symbol of land art, The Lightning Field is a true experience. Visitors, up to six per session, stay

in a shed next to the field to wait for nightfall and the lightning. Although the work is permanent,

the experience itself greatly varies on each occasion. Visitors can only truly understand the

scale of the installation if lightning miraculously strikes the posts, something entirely up to
chance.

Walter De Maria, “The Lightning Field,” 1977

Photo: John Cliett © Dia Art Foundation.

With an emphasis placed on the environment, the artwork is located outdoors, a fact that is

even more important than the poles themselves. In this installation, the field is much more than

just a frame, but a determining element in becoming aware of the importance of the

environment.

This artwork reminds us of nature’s beauty that, like a storm that arises in an instant, is

ephemeral.

Michael Heizer, Double Negative (1969)

In 1969, Michael Heizer, a sculptor from New York, purchased some land in the Nevada desert.

He then moved 240,000 tons worth of rocks to create his work Double Negative. This sculpture

is a long trench in the earth, with a depth of 15 metres. The “Double” in the work’s title refers to

both the artificial and natural qualities of the canyon.

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Art and Nature: The Emergence of Ecological Art - Artsper Magazine 6/4/23, 23:16

Michael Heizer, Double Negative, 1969

Photo: © Serge Paul, 2003

Land Art, an Ecological form of Art?

Land art is often equated with “ecological” art. However, can we really say this is the case?

Some artists such as Nancy Holt claim that land art was, at its very core, ecological because it
fostered a connection with the land and the environment. Others, like Robert Morris, believed

that these artists were ultimately corrupted by economic factors.

Morris’s argument is based on the fact that art installations can sometimes radically harm and
transform landscapes. This is why land art is seen by some as being “anti-ecological,” since it

actually disrespects nature. In effect, Michael Heizer’s bulldozing can easily be considered a

slashing of the American desert’s purity…

Thus, the environment can be a controversial material for land artists to use. It certainly could

be viewed as a return to nature, but not necessarily as a form of ecological activism.

Anthony Horth

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Art and Nature: The Emergence of Ecological Art - Artsper Magazine 6/4/23, 23:16

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Anthony Horth Anthony Horth Anthony Horth Anthony Horth Anthony Hor
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Transforming Polluted Spaces Through

Reclamation Art
Reclamation art, also called “ecovention,” is the art of rehabilitating polluted spaces or

abandoned industrial areas. It is often associated with land art, however, the works of this

movement offer ecological rehabilitation and also help foster the connection between people

and their natural environment.

In New York…
In 1965, Alan Sonfist launched a reforestation project in one of Manhattan’s urban spaces. His
work titled Time Landscape was completed in 1978, and stands as the first urban forest in New

York. Sonfist’s main aim was to rehabilitate this land and return it to its original appearance,

before either colonisation or urbanisation. The juxtaposition of the forest and the urban
environment displays the artist’s environmental consciousness.

Alan Sonfist, Time Landscape, 1978

Photo: the author for Hyperallergic

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Art and Nature: The Emergence of Ecological Art - Artsper Magazine 6/4/23, 23:16

In Dallas…
In 1985, the artist Patricia Johanson was commissioned to rehabilitate a polluted artificial lake in

Dallas. Her art had two objectives: to rebuild the link between man and his natural environment
and to make the site ecologically viable again. More than rehabilitation, Johanson’s work is a true

work of art. The red clay sculptures attract passers-by, while also creating micro-habitats for
small animals and plants. These sculptures form a path across the water, allowing pedestrians to
observe the wildlife.

Patricia Johanson, Leonhardt Lagoon, 1985 (photo © Patricia Johanson)

This hybrid of art and nature entitled Leonhardt Lagoon is the result of thorough research. It

perfectly synthesizes the aesthetic reflection of monumental sculptures and scientific studies
for the rehabilitation of a healthy and sustainable ecosystem. This work successfully encourages
wildlife to return while attracting curious onlookers.

Another major example of the reclamation art movement: Tree Mountain, A Living Time
Capsule, by artist Agnès Dénes, whose works engage with environmental issues. Her installations
explore the interactions between man and nature. The artist created a small mountain and

planted 11,000 pine trees, with the help of 11,000 people, reclaiming land that had been
destroyed by resource extraction. This project was launched at the Earth Summit in Rio de

Janeiro on June 5th 1992, as a contribution from Finland to aid in alleviating ecological stress.

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Art and Nature: The Emergence of Ecological Art - Artsper Magazine 6/4/23, 23:16

Agnès Dénes, Tree Mountain, A Living Time Capsule, 1992

Photo: The Shed

Agnès Dénes, Tree Mountain, A Living Time Capsule, 1992

Photo: The Shed

Tree Mountain is the largest work combining art and nature on an international scale. With no
end date in sight, the project has a much more noble goal than celebrating the human ego!

More than a work of art, this project is a legacy for future generations.

Recycled Art and Snow Art: New Methods of

Creation
Drought, deforestation, rising water levels, forest fires… Our planet is susceptible to these
devastations more than ever. Many contemporary artists are trying to raise public awareness of

these environmental issues. What could be better than art, a universal language, to evoke this
subject?

It is impossible not to mention the world-famous artist Olafur Eliasson. He is the master of

experimental installations, inspired by natural phenomena, as he’s done famously with The
Weather Project
Project.

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Art and Nature: The Emergence of Ecological Art - Artsper Magazine 6/4/23, 23:16

In another vein, Vik Muniz is known for reusing waste and recycled paper to create his works.
Paper, cigarette butts, magnets, toys… Muniz is able to transform any object into a sophisticated

medium. In fact, many artists are interested in recycling objects to create works of art.

Vik Muniz, Fragment in Four Dimensions (Blue and Green), 2017 and Five Rips, 2018

Another example is Guerra De La Paz, a collective of two Cuban artists. Alain Guerra and
Neraldo de la Paz use old clothes to create their sculptures. Their works are striking, and
represent the wastefulness of our consumer society vis-a-vis the fashion industry. A very

creative way to get the message across!

Guerra De La Paz, Oasis, 2016

Others, such as Simon Beck, find even more ways to raise ecological awareness. The British
cartographer and cartoonist invented snow art in the early 2000s. With his snowshoes, he

draws shapes in the snow and films them with a drone. His artistic approach warns against the
fragility of the environment and aims to raise awareness. However, his work has been

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Art and Nature: The Emergence of Ecological Art - Artsper Magazine 6/4/23, 23:16

interrupted due to some avalanche warnings and bad weather conditions.

Simon Beck ecology art snow art nature and art

Simon Beck, Les Arcs

Photo: Simon Beck

Artists Committed to Environmental Causes

Tero Repo Iceberg ecology art nature and art

Tero Repo, Iceberg, 2012

Land art was the first artistic movement to convey the fragility of nature. Since, artists have
travelled through deserts and mountains in search of isolated spaces for creating installations.

Sometimes transforming polluted sites, or altering landscapes by moving rocks. Even if an

ecological cause is not immediately apparent within all land art, these artists’ approach always
convey a desire to create natural spaces, which in turn gives their work meaning.

Today, environmental approaches towards art and nature are very varied. From raising
awareness to militant action, representations of ecological issues are everywhere in art fairs

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and exhibitions. Through their work, artists try to raise public awareness in order to create a
better world, placing humanity in harmony with the environment.

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