Contemporary International Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Contemporary International Art - Essay Example 13). People have to reassess and recreate their roles in protecting nature. This is the most challenging mission for artists today. Stankiewicz and Krug (1997) explained that â€Å"some ecological artists attempt to alert viewers to environmental issues through shock, humour, or educational documentation. Others seek to educate the public to the systemic character of bioregions through ritual, performance, and process drama† (p. 4). Some environmental artists, like Andy Goldsworthy and Nils-Udo, try to raise environmental awareness by taking part and encouraging community involvement in ecological art projects. This essay discusses the eco-friendly art projects of two contemporary artists, the Three Cairns by Andy Goldsworthy and the Clemson Clay Nest by Nils-Udo. Andy Goldsworthy: A Representation of Ecological Eccentricity Andy Goldsworthy only uses materials available in nature. Using leaves, stones, and other natural materials, he creates masterpieces which encourage his a udiences to view nature with stronger passion and interest. His masterpieces do not exactly or literally mimic the natural environment (Malpas 2010, p. 13). For instance, a leaf art does not really look like a leaf, but look more like a nest or other objects. The creations of Goldsworthy are natural subjects without trying to be natural. In contrast, his art is very non-natural that orients the audiences to the natural. Goldsworthy decided to abandon city life and live close to nature. Artists struggle to provide a physical depiction of their intangible ideas. Goldsworthy’s art conceals its layers and convinces the audience to ignore its pretences (Donovan et al. 2010, p. 22). His art has encouraged a dialogue among individuals who had been uninvolved in the past, broadening the horizon of the arts. Goldsworthy depicts sympathy, beauty, and perfection through his art works that explain how individuals should understand the huge role of nature in their lives. His project Three Cairns is inspired by his plan to bring about a complex artistic project that runs along the entire American nation by linking the West and East coasts. This project transcends the limitations of the abstract. This clearly architectural work spans an entire continent (Malpas 2010, p. 74). Cairns, or headstones, are a figurative stone work which could have ritualistic or collective meaning. Goldsworthy is realizing his idea in stages by building exceptional, sturdy enormous monuments at the three involved places, namely, San Diego, California, Des Moines, Iowa, and Purchase, New York (Binkly 2012, pp. 8-9). The Midwest, particularly its connection to the East and West coasts, mesmerized Goldsworthy. At every place, Midwest, East coast, and West Coast, he constructed an Iowa cairn that characterised a particular site of importance. He constructed the East Coast Cairn near New York’s Neuberger Museum of Art (Binkly 2012, pp. 8-9). Lubowsky explained the allegorical significance of Goldsworthy’s project: â€Å"Life, death, and regeneration, the underlying principles of Goldsworthy’s art, took on a profound and unexpected new meaning with the unimaginable events of September 11, 2001; for Andy the meaning was personal as well, for his father had recently died† (Binkly 2012, p. 9). On the other hand, the West Coast Cairn was built near California’s San Diego Museum of Contemporary Art. The origin of the Iowan limestone was quite distant that it preserves remnants