Land art

Type of modern art that uses natural substances such as rocks and soil as its raw materials. It is often inspired by natural processes. Land artists rejected the commercialization of art, and were also concerned for the environment. Their work reflected a general ‘back-to-the-land’ reaction against the destruction of the countryside through urbanization and industrialization. Land art flourished in the USA in the 1960s and early 1970s, and soon became popular in other parts of the world; leading Land artists in the USA include Robert Smithson and Christo, and in the UK, Andy Goldsworthy (1956– ) and Richard Long.

The terms earth art and earthworks are usually restricted to very large works, such as Smithson's Spiral Jetty, a ‘road’ of earth and rocks about 450 m/1,480 ft long, running out into the Great Salt Lake, Utah. He also made much smaller works, including heaps of rocks and soil displayed in galleries. Smithson died in a plane crash when he was surveying one of his large works. As this suggests, some of the larger works of Land art can only be properly appreciated from the air. Critics point out that this undermines the movement's original intention that art should be for everyone, not just the rich few, as only those who own or can hire an aeroplane are likely to see the artwork in the original. Because of the size and location of many pieces of Land art, works are often presented as photographs.

Other methods and examples include work by Nancy Holt who built enormous structures similar to the megalithic monument Stonehenge, that were organized according to the astronomical order of the stars. The work of Christo usually involves wrapping natural or artificial objects (sometimes very large ones such as Parisian bridges and entire islands); some, however, regard his work as too personal to be described as Land art.

Land art became popular at the same time as other forms of expression (such as Arte Povera and conceptual art) that aimed to move away from the elitism of the conventional art world by using worthless materials.