Serendip is an independent site partnering with faculty at multiple colleges and universities around the world. Happy exploring!

leave no trace?

et502's picture

So in class yesterday, we talked about how we have both liberal and radical feminist movements, but environmentalism is still in its preliminary stages – still reactionary. As Aliza put it, for many people, the environment/nature is a museum. Leaving no trace, experience is limited in many ways to observation, a surface level brush with “the wild.” 

This just made me want to interact with my site! What would a radical environmentalism look like?

 I saw this documentary a while ago, called Rivers and Tides. It shows the work of Andy Goldsworthy, who calls himself a ‘landscape artist.’ (it’s available through Tripod – it’s a slow-moving film, but it’s worth the time!) Here's an example of his work:


I like this method of "play" with nature, so I tried it out too (not as intense..)

Other notes: today was my 6th visit to my site. I don’t want to move yet – I heard back from Ed Harmon about Grounds’ plans to change some of the space into a wildflower/conservatory area. So I want to be there, at least for a few more weeks, for further developments. 

Groups:

Comments

Smacholdt's picture

Art as Temporary

It suggested in the movie trailer that Goldsworthy lets his art “disintegrate” without making much effort to preserve it or to document it. I think that this says a lot about his opinion about human relationship to nature. It reminds me of the Buddhist philosophy about the temporary nature of human experience as compared to the much longer time span of the universe. But this could be very beside the point. What do you think? 

Srucara's picture

I think that's exactly the

I think that's exactly the point.

Srucara's picture

Andy Goldsworthy is awesome!

I really like Andy Goldsworthy's work - especially some of his ice sculptures and his works with large bodies of water. I just want to let you know that your own "play with nature" looks quite beautiful.