Andy Goldsworthy OBE
Three River Works, Dumfriesshire, 2023
Three River Works (Cutting, Grinding, Red Splash), a video artwork created using ancient Happisburgh flints – a hand-axe and flake dating back over 600,000 years BCE – to create colour from Scottish ironstone where the artist lives.
Cutting Stone 2023
signed, titled, dated and numbered in pencil to margin. Printed still from video artworks created in Dumfriesshire, using ancient Happisburgh flints and Scottish ironstone.
Edition of 5. 14 x 25 cm
£1,250
Crushed Red River Stone Splash 2023
signed, titled, dated and numbered in pencil to margin. Printed still from video artworks created in Dumfriesshire, using ancient Happisburgh flints and Scottish ironstone.
Edition of 5. 14 x 25 cm
£1,250
Listen to Robert Ferguson, the Collection Curator, explaining the Three River Works:
Grinding
Cutting
Andy Goldsworthy is a renowned British land artist celebrated for his ephemeral, nature-based installations that draw attention to the beauty and impermanence of the natural world. Using materials such as stones, leaves, twigs, ice, and flowers, Goldsworthy creates intricate and often large-scale works that interact directly with their surroundings, whether in forests, rivers, or urban environments. His art is shaped by a deep respect for the rhythms and cycles of nature, and he views his practice as a form of collaboration with the landscape itself. Goldsworthy’s work highlights the inherent fragility of nature and the transient beauty found in seasonal changes, weather, and the passage of time.
Goldsworthy’s creative process is highly intuitive, with a focus on the natural characteristics of the materials he uses. He often builds his pieces on-site, relying solely on the tools provided by nature, such as his own hands, sharp stones, or thorns as natural adhesives. This approach makes each work a unique response to its specific environment, capturing the essence of a place in a given moment. For example, he might arrange vibrant autumn leaves in spirals, only for them to be scattered by the wind, or build delicate structures from icicles that melt as the day warms. These fleeting works embrace the cycles of decay and regeneration, illustrating his belief that art and nature are constantly in flux and cannot be separated.
One of Goldsworthy’s most well-known projects, *Rain Shadows*, exemplifies his sensitivity to natural forces. In this series, he lies on the ground as it begins to rain, leaving behind a dry silhouette once he stands up. The simple act captures a moment of connection with nature and the fleetingness of life, as the shadow fades quickly when exposed to the elements. In another project, *Stone Cairns*, he constructs tall, precarious stone towers along rivers or coastlines, creating a striking visual harmony with the landscape. These cairns are vulnerable to the tides and erosion, a reminder of the natural forces that continually shape the earth.
Goldsworthy’s work is often documented through photography, allowing these ephemeral pieces to reach a wider audience and preserving their beauty even after nature reclaims them. His approach has inspired a generation of environmental artists, encouraging viewers to appreciate the natural world’s temporary and ever-changing forms. Through his art, Goldsworthy fosters a deep sense of connection to nature, reminding us of the fragile beauty that surrounds us and urging respect for the earth’s fleeting wonders. His work serves as a powerful reflection on life’s impermanence and the profound interconnectedness of all things in the natural world.