CREDITS

MAGIC – ANDY GOLDSWORTHY
Andy Goldsworthy, Ice Sphere, Scaur Water, Drumfriesshire, 1977
Andy Goldsworthy «Touching North Pole on Ellesmere island, the most northerly island in the Artic Archipelago. 1989

Andy Goldsworthy (British, born 1956) is a sculptor and photographer whose site-specific artworks interact directly with the environment, incorporating natural specimens and found objects into semi-permanent sculptures, which are then extensively documented in photographs. Goldsworthy grew up in West Yorkshire and worked as a farmhand from an early age, an experience that allowed him to develop an intense awareness of his surroundings and an appreciation of the ephemeral qualities of the landscape. He studied Fine Art at Bradford School of Art in his home town and at Preston Polytechnic in Preston, Lancashire. While at school, he became acquainted with other British artists who followed a similar environmental doctrine, including Richard Long and Hamish Fulton .

Although rarely assured of the physical survival of his sculptures, Goldsworthy photographs his sites before, during and after he has created his structures within the landscape, allowing these photographs to serve as permanent records of each piece. While most of Goldsworthy’s known works are created outdoors in remote locations that have personal significance to the artist, some of his pieces have been exhibited in galleries and his reputation as a progressive and environmentally conscious artist has made him a popular candidate for public commissions. With several published books documenting his process, Goldsworthy’s projects have reached an even wider audience, making him an internationally renowned artist. Goldsworthy has worked in America, Europe, Australia, Japan, Canada and the North Pole, and has resided permanently in Scotland since the early 1980s. In 2001, Thomas Riedelsheimer published a documentary film, Rivers and Tides, based on Goldsworthy’s life and work.