Land Art

Land Art (or Earthworks) is an art movement that emerged in the late 1960's and early 1970's where the natural objects of the environment (sticks, stones, sand, rocks, leaves etc.) were used to make art works in that environment. The work was usually left to erode or decay in it's own time.

So, this is not really land art, but some pictures taken on a little beach where we spent an afternoon . I am fascinated by the way people leave little structures and formations behind on a beach. Evidence of our fundamental desire to create!

This was a tiny beach, but I found a few examples of 'land art'.

This structure is like a little shelter. Cleo (my daughter) is on the top - she made some adaptations of her own to the entrance

I loved this little formation - the pink stones were attached to the sticks with some mud

Another structure that I found on this tiny stretch of beach. Notice how these formations are usually circles!

My husband and daughter's addition to the earthworks on the beach (with no prompting by me!) They made a mound of stones, covered it with sand, left for lunch and it had been broken apart by the time they returned

My own addition, with apologies to Richard Long and Robert Smithson. I did not leave this on the beach though, I felt that there were many other creative possibilities with those stones, so brought them (and a few more) home in a bag.

My earthwork, in the landscape

Here are some images of 'real' Land Art, one of my favourite art movements of all time.

For other Beach Art, click here.