Where to See Andy Goldsworthy

Andy Goldsworthy has created many site-specific works in the countryside of northern England, including balanced rocks and sculptural sheepfolds. He eventually moved to Scotland because its laws permit free roaming. There, he has created works that also take on a social dimension. He also travels to sites around the world to create commissioned works in sculpture parks and gallery settings. These commissioned works sometimes span indoor and outdoor spaces, such as large arches of rocks situated on either side of a glass wall. Because many of Goldsworthy’s works are ephemeral, he documents them through photography, gathered in several books. Public collections that hold his work include the Albright-Knox Art Gallery (Buffalo), the Australian National Gallery (Canberra), the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (New York), the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art (Humlebaek, Denmark), and the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York).

Andy Goldsworthy studied at Bradford College of Art and then Preston Polytechnic.

Andy Goldsworthy's works can be seen at National Gallery of Art^[2], drawings in the National Gallery of Art, Photographs in the National Gallery of Art, and 2 other museums worldwide.

Andy Goldsworthy lives in Dumfriesshire, Scotland.

Andy Goldsworthy's works can be seen at National Gallery of Art^[2], drawings in the National Gallery of Art, Photographs in the National Gallery of Art, and 2 other museums worldwide.

Andy Goldsworthy is known for his temporary sculptures made from natural materials. These works often exist only as photographs, and he also creates prints using various techniques. When considering Goldsworthy's prints, it is useful to understand some printmaking conventions. A print is considered original when the artist conceives it as a print and executes it as such. Each print in a limited edition is an original, made from a plate or block created for that purpose. The artist decides the number of prints in the edition, and each is numbered sequentially (for example, 12/25 means it is print number 12 from an edition of 25). The artist usually signs each print in pencil. The number of prints in an edition is not usually limited by the block's physical characteristics. Instead, the artist chooses the edition size. This decision is important because edition size can affect the print's value. The Professional Art Dealers Association of Canada, among other organisations, has worked to define "original print" to clarify the unregulated marketplace.

Andy Goldsworthy's art has significance because of his approach to nature and sculpture. He began creating works in natural settings as a reaction against geometric aesthetics. He was also inspired by Richard Long. Goldsworthy's works often involve arranging natural materials found on site, such as rocks, leaves, and ice. Many of his pieces are ephemeral, existing only for a short time before natural processes alter or erase them. Goldsworthy documents these temporary sculptures through photography. He feels photography is a way for a sculptor to talk about time, space, and place. Goldsworthy sees his work as a collaboration with nature, requiring attentiveness to the qualities of his materials and the specifics of each location. He spent his adolescence working on farms, where he realised that he loved working outdoors at rhythmic, repetitive tasks that had aesthetic outcomes. He admits that working with "flowers and leaves and petals" is a bit dicey for an artist today: "But I have to: I can’t edit the materials I work with. My remit is to work with nature as a whole.”

Andy Goldsworthy creates site-specific sculpture using natural materials. He often works outdoors in rural environments such as northern England and Scotland. His art is a reaction against geometric aesthetics. Richard Long's slide presentation at art school also inspired him. Goldsworthy uses materials found in the local environment. These include rocks, stone, flowers, leaves, and petals. He assembles these into balanced rock stacks, cairns, and sculptural sheepfolds. He also works with ice and snow, building temporary structures that melt or collapse. His process involves a deep attentiveness to the land, its seasons, and its changes. He sees his touch as a way to look into the heart of nature. Goldsworthy documents his ephemeral works through photography. He feels photography is a perfect way for a sculptor to talk about time, space, and place. These photographs are often gathered into books.