Dictionary
Earth Art
Earth art refers to art works made out of earth or similar substances, such as sand or stone. There are two kinds of Earth art. Firstly, art works, which can be found outdoors, and to some extent, in their natural environment. These works are frequently referred to as "Earthworks" in the USA. Earth art’s status was consolidated by an exhibition, "Earthworks" held in the New York Dwan Gallery in 1968, where the works were displayed in remote areas outside the gallery space. Photographs of the pieces were on display in the gallery. Earth art also refers to objects displayed in galleries or museum spaces. The New York exhibition "Earthworks" also played a role in establishing the genre, as the main constituent of many of the works shown was earth. Another key exhibition was the exhibition "Earth Art", held at Cornell University shortly afterwards in 1969. Both of these exhibition projects ensured that the terms "Earthwork" and "Earth Art" replaced the term Land Art, which was used in Europe to describe art works in outdoor natural environments. Various different forms of Earth art can be found in museum contexts. Walter De Maria (born 1935) filled gallery and museum spaces with earth (Münchner Erdraum, 1968 or "The New York Earth Room", 1977). Other artists undertook detailed explorations of the qualities of earth, sand and clay, in order to conserve traces left behind in the material. Artists such as Anselm Kiefer (born 1945) used earth and clay as painting materials in their work. In addition to focusing on a material’s aesthetic components, many Earth art works draw attention to the notion of earth as a historical repository.
Earth art refers to art works made out of earth or similar substances, such as sand or stone. There are two kinds of Earth art. Firstly, art works, which can be found outdoors, and to some extent, in their natural environment. These works are frequently referred to as "Earthworks" in the USA. Earth art’s status was consolidated by an exhibition, "Earthworks" held in the New York Dwan Gallery in 1968, where the works were displayed in remote areas outside the gallery space. Photographs of the pieces were on display in the gallery. Earth art also refers to objects displayed in galleries or museum spaces. The New York exhibition "Earthworks" also played a role in establishing the genre, as the main constituent of many of the works shown was earth. Another key exhibition was the exhibition "Earth Art", held at Cornell University shortly afterwards in 1969. Both of these exhibition projects ensured that the terms "Earthwork" and "Earth Art" replaced the term Land Art, which was used in Europe to describe art works in outdoor natural environments. Various different forms of Earth art can be found in museum contexts. Walter De Maria (born 1935) filled gallery and museum spaces with earth (Münchner Erdraum, 1968 or "The New York Earth Room", 1977). Other artists undertook detailed explorations of the qualities of earth, sand and clay, in order to conserve traces left behind in the material. Artists such as Anselm Kiefer (born 1945) used earth and clay as painting materials in their work. In addition to focusing on a material’s aesthetic components, many Earth art works draw attention to the notion of earth as a historical repository.
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