Last week a group of cyclists dumped 13 gallons of paint on the road at Berlin’s busy Rosenthaler Platz, creating a series of colourful lines as cars drove through.The various colours of paint were dumped onto the road in large puddles at different locations throughout the intersection. As traffic drove through, the paint was spread around creating lots of colourful lines. The whole action......read more
Jim Denevan is an modern day renaissance man. Famous for his mega-sized land art works, the Californian artist is also an accomplished chef whose traveling Outstanding in the Field project connects people with local ingredients and producers. Denevan's art is all about nature's ephemeral moments. “For me, marking the earth is an opportunity to measure and consider what is directly at hand......read more
As we approach the second round of the UN climate talks, Bill McKibben and 350.org are putting on what may be the world's biggest art exhibition, ever. With many works viewable from space, the campaign urges world leaders to reduce acceptable carbon emissions from 388 t0 350 parts per million — scientists' safe target for stabilizing CO2 levels in the atmosphere. So far, pledges......read more
The term "environmental art" is a bit misleading, in that it encompasses all sorts of artistic interventions in nature, whether the works are "good" for the environment or not. Many of the most famous environmental artworks were made using heavy machinery, causing permanent changes to landscapes in the name of art. Daniel McCormick is an eco-artist in the truest sense. For over twenty-five......read more
One of the most prominent Japanese artists working in the West today, Moriko Mori is best known for her Manga-inspired sculptures that feature futuristic geisha characters and next-level technology. So it comes as bit of a surprise to learn that her latest project is an ambitious earthwork, to be built far from civilization, based around ancient ideas of environmental consciousness. The piece,......read more
Richard Long is a trail blazer in more ways than one. The British artist has been at the forefront of the Land Art movement for over forty years. But unlike many of his Earth Art colleagues, Long's work doesn't significantly alter the landscape. He simply walks upon the earth and leaves temporary lines, circles, spirals, and rock piles in his wake. From his artist statement: In the nature of......read more
"Sandworm," a new environmental work from Finnish artist/architect Marco Casagrande, combines land art and architecture in all the best ways. Constructed entirely of sand and willow branches, the massive installation winds through the dunes of Belgium's Wenduine coastline like a friendlier version of the Tremors beast. From ArchDaily: Casagrande worked hard with his team of young......read more
Bright, synthetic color meets natural materials in "Wake," a land art installation by Michigan artist Michael McGillis. The semi-subterranean piece transforms the relatively mundane sight of giant wood piles into a surprisingly beautiful and interactive work of art. Originally installed at Minnesota's Franconia Sculpture Park in 2006, the installation consists of a 95-foot......read more
Iranian environmental artist Ahmad Nadalian uses an ancient printing method to create fascinating ephemeral works on sand. To make the Sand Prints, Nadalian carves cylinder seals (in stone, glass, or clay) featuring his own designs--fish, snakes, crabs, flowers--then rolls the cylinders on beaches or in deserts, creating repeating patterns in the sand. The resulting pieces naturally blend into......read more
Earth Day is coming, and with it, hours and hours of “green†television programming and print media coverage. People who hardly give the environment a thought all year will be “Green Watching†programs – and advertisements – about how to be more environmentally responsible. In the past, I always thought of this heightened awareness as a good thing. The added......read more