Earth Art

Finale Pictures

2008-12-17T12:50:00.000-08:00

The sickly orange haze on the horizon

Its blurry when you first stumble upon it

The rain, the darkness, the ominous landscape

A light shines in the distant abyss

Starting to see a path now

Closer

A skeleton

But is half-dead or half-alive

A tanglible resurrection

And still our monuments stand that once screamed vengeance to the heavens, now the broken jaw of our lost cities...

A yet there's life here still...

These streets, so pretty, but here?

The old city still stands, desparate now

A lamp-post, lonely, shines against the frigid darkness...a fairy tale?

But I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream so long ago...

A now these glass panes let a tiny million lights shine through against the darkness

This old building...I'm surprised it still stands

Alive after this long dead winter

Just waiting for the right season to come

Where two worlds will meet

I can barely see inside now...to make out the signs...

I can only imagine what riches lie behind these locked doors

...shining so brightly...

Finale- Sustainability

2008-12-15T18:15:00.000-08:00

OK, so…

Here’s my finale…sans photos…as usual. But those will just have to be posted a little later, bear with me.

I realize my “Reclamation” and “Orange” pieces were really about urban decay. Nature and our concrete world are constantly at odds. Supposedly, it’s starting to ruin the environment and thoughts of the apocalypse are on the rise again. Like Y2K….

I’m a biology major and I’m not saying that global warming is a hoax. I just realize how the whole idea has fallen into the political sphere. And politicians are not scientists. But before our country breaks out into a panic, thinking the Earth will become the next “terrorist”, lets explore all of our options. OK?

Think of how fast the history of America is progressing. America has “evolved” much faster than any other country. Constantly adapting to changes. But how well are we adapting? There are some deleterious mutations out there. So no swimming in the gene pool, kiddies, it’s polluted. And now we, the people, have to manually fix this ourselves. Great, that’ll be easy. Why can’t this just naturally occur over time? Gosh! Supposedly time is running out…Ready, set, GO! Right?

But where do we run? We already fled our cities. At least, those of us that could leave. And now the urban landscape is in serious crisis. So what do we do? Do we keep getting further and further away until we live in the rural country where its supposedly safer? But people farm out there…and talk funny, WTF? OK, I’ll just encase myself in a giant SUV and spend half my life in the car getting from place to place and making sure my children’s lives are peachy-keen and my neighborhood is “exclusive”. Oh wait, that doesn’t work either. But the cities have… “them”. And “they” will hurt the children. (FYI…I’m referring to an amalgamation of irrational fears with “them”…make of it what you will)

I have news, guys. The American Dream with its white-picket teeth is dead. Yup. Actually, it was only ever in our imaginations anyway. But, as Americans, we’re too damn proud to look for another solution. Do you realize that the American Dream first arose in a time when the definition of a “mansion” was a house that is somehow starting to look pitifully small to a lot of people? Is bigger really better? That’s just more “stuff” to deal with if you ask me…So yeah, downsizing requires relinquishing some of our random “stuff”. But did you really use it anyway?

Now if only we could all live in proximity of each other. And by “all” I mean every race, social class, ethnicity, however people are “defined”. Hey look! A “black” person. For president! I think that, as a people, we’re ready to finally mix. Remember that mixing bowl theory? Still mostly a theory, guys. Screw the salad bowl, fondue is so much tastier than lettuce with stale white bread on top.

America needs to take a lesson from nature.

Consider this fact about ecosystems: When an organism dies, the decomposition of its body aids in putting nutrients back into the soil. This process keeps life sustainable. That’s the key word. Sustainable.

Now think about our cities. The buildings “die” and take up space. And of course they take what seems like eons to us to finally decompose. And why do these buildings die? Because they no longer have a “purpose” like an old industrial building. Well, now America’s post-industrial and these sites are our long lost cities.

Ever wonder what this constant idea of “demolish and rebuild” is doing to our culture? What is “American” culture? The whole country is homogenizing with these giant corporations in power. Like Wal-mart. Eventually everything will look exactly the same in terms of landscape with the exception of climate and geographical differences.

It only takes a few years for an area to go from “barren” to completely inhabited by people. Our native people didn’t live like that. They lived in harmony with the land instead of claiming ownership of small pieces of it and then abruptly tearing it apart. Generation after generation of Native Americans saw the same landscape as their forefathers. In the current American culture, every couple decades the landscape has changed almost entirely. Ever wonder where our nostalgic tendencies come from? Because hind-sight is 20/20 – For example, Shockoe Bottom used to have a creek running through it that was “filled in”. All that water had to go somewhere. That’s why Church Hill is unstable and tunnels collapse. Amazing.

The latest trend in urban planning is restoring these post-industrial buildings to usable space….usually residential. You literally walk where the previous generations walked. This could possibly be a generation in your own family. How cool is that?

Well, to some people it’s just not “fashionable”. I actually saw a historic renovation in Oregon Hill the other day with a sign that said “I’m gorgeous inside”. Am I sensing a parallel to my first series?? So yeah, the building may not look all perfect, ginormous, and brand spankin’ new. But look where that attitude got our economy and the housing market.

The final series of pictures I will post are from the construction of Rockett’s Landing and then an abandoned site near it that still has restorable buildings. Ever see those billboards along the interstate for Rockett’s Landing? They usually say “the suburbs have lost their luster”. Rockett’s Landing includes post-industrial renovation into high price condominiums with some of the best views of the city. Its decadent, I know. But these wealthy people will give their tax money to Richmond instead of a surrounding county. The best part, I think, is that the site lies just East of where the city seems to abruptly start ending. Why did expansion occur to the North, South, West but not East? Because the Eastside is “scary”. Time for CHANGE.

Now I’m going to let you in on a little secret of mine. I usually have to keep it to myself at VCU. Politically, I’m on the right side of the spectrum. Yup. I’m a conservative. Surprised? My point is that sustainability is something we should all be concerned with. It’s not an issue of “left” or “right”.

The Earth does not hate humanity. If anything, we have learned to hate the Earth. Human beings think they are just so damn brilliant. How could nature possibly know better? Especially if all life originated from one big chemical reaction that just refused to end. Oops, that was sarcasm. My bad.

Overlay

2008-12-09T19:25:00.000-08:00

The chapter in Overlay on feminism and pre-history presented some ideas that relate well to my project. My first series, "Natural Beauty", commented on women's social issues and represented the female form. Long, natural hair was also a metaphor for the earth and it's capacity to sustain and heal itself. My later series dealt with reclamation and the power of nature as well as the negative impact of mankind on the earth.

In Overlay, Lippard writes, "women artists have emphasized the earth vicitmized and fighting back" (52). These female artists often relate this to their own experience as a woman being dominated and vulnerable in a patriarchal society. I didnt consciously intend this in my own work. However, I can draw parallels between my commentary on women's issues and mankind's mistreatment of nature.

The "Natural Beauty" series addressed, among other things, the unrealistic standards of beauty for women. I intended for my viewer to miss the deeper significance of the work as a woman is often overlooked based on her appearance. These beauty standards for women in our society are encouraged ultimately by men.

My hair represents a rebellion against these standards in the way I let it grow untamed and refuse to damage it with harsh chemicals and heat appliances in a vain attempt to be more attractive. Likewise, the earth fights back against the damage of mankind inflicting order upon its so-called chaos. My "Reclaiming" series represents this rebellion and the "Orange" series shows the pollution that results from the abuse of nature.

Another quote from Lippard, which I read in class, sums up this problem well:

"Our civilization has placed cement between us and the earth, pollution between us and the sky, technology between us and the seasons. We have lost our rural/matriarchal connection with natural phenomena, and its resurrection seems less and less likely in an increasingly urbanized world" (45)

Robert Smithson

2008-12-05T11:40:00.001-08:00

Here are some photos and earthworks by Robert Smithson that relate to some of my own work.

This is from his series “Monuments of Passiac” taken in New Jersey in 1967.

These two are from “Hotel Palenque” taken in Mexico in 1969.

This earthwork is called “Glue Pour” and it was done in Vancouver in 1969.

To see more of Smithson’s works, you can check out his website at www.robertsmithson.com

House in Charleston SC like Earth Art Project

2008-12-03T13:25:00.000-08:00

The modular "super adobe" homes we saw yesterday in class made me think of this house I saw in Charleston SC. I wonder if that project inspired this home...

Final "Orange" Series Photos

2008-12-03T13:18:00.000-08:00

The entrance of the Church Hill Tunnel was shown in my last post. The site also has extensive contamination. The orange color seen here is caused by the oxidation of metal pollutants.

The orange also creeps down the front face of the tunnel entrance. The byproduct of the oxidation reaction is probably highly acidic. This likely has greatly eroded the remains behind this wall….

A dumpster outside of the abandoned building from Jackson Ward also appears to contain similar contaminants.

Final "Reclaiming" Photos - Church Hill Tunnel

2008-12-03T13:03:00.003-08:00

This site is the western entrance of the historic Church Hill Tunnel. The tunnel was built by Chesapeake and Ohio Railway in 1875. The tunnel collapsed in 1926 due to the shrink-swell clay surrounding it. The flooded site is considered unsafe to recover. Today, several bodies and train cars remain buried behind this wall.

The tunnel now acts as a grave and a memorial as well as a historic landmark. Prof. Birchett mentioned that this site is like a cairn.

The reclamation of Church Hill occurred quickly and unexpectedly. We often assume that nature will only take back what we abandon and leave to waste. This swift overtaking shows the power of nature and our false sense of victory over its forces.

Also on the site is an abandoned warehouse that likewise has to do with reclamation.

Here's a few pictures inside the warehouse...

This gas pump probably dates to around 1940.

More "Reclaiming" Photos - Jackson Ward

2008-12-03T12:54:00.000-08:00

This abandoned building is located on Leigh St. in Jackson Ward. Ironically, the building was once a rehabilitation center.

Several times I’ve noticed this plant growing on a second story window ledge.

This is as far as I got inside…

Lydia Moyer

2008-11-24T17:40:00.000-08:00

When we saw this piece in class, I got something entirely different out of it. You can view it again for yourself on youtube. Just search for "Lydia Moyer" and its entitled "Hyacinth." Here I've posted a line from the dialogue and then my response.

“We didn’t know how to find it, and didn’t know how to get there on our own…paid a local man to take us out”

Settlers who came to the New World for “gold, glory, and God” often relied on the knowledge of the indigenous people for survival. Assuming they didn’t slaughter all the natives at first sight, of course.

“In the pictures they’re in piles, stained jeans, dark arms entwined…”

This refers to the mass slaughter of many natives from the Aztecs to the Cherokee Trail of Tears. However, I also took it as a premonition of the end of America, which I refer to later on.

“But everything that is left has disappeared now, absorbed back into the jungle…there are no placeholders, wooden walkways, the pavilions…..

This is nature taking back the substance of the bodies and buildings and they decompose.

“only memory marks the location”

Think of how many ancient people are left only in our history books and museums. Would our own end be any different?

“If we tried to find it all over again, I wonder if we’d end up somewhere entirely different”

Could the expansion into the “New World” ever happen again? Remember that it happened before the settlers. Whether we’re talking the ancestors of the Native Americans or Leif Ericson, our beloved Columbus was not the first. Suppose someday history repeats and colonization happens again. Could there ever be another United States of America?

“How exciting it all must have been at first. A small group set out to homestead on jungle frontiers.”

The discovery and colonization of the Americas completely shook the worldview of Europe at the time. Also notice the imagery of all different races. Eventually the “mixing bowl” started to churn.

“They grew their own vegetables, built their own houses, raised their children together”

And of course this is how the early settlers would have lived.

“For a long time, people still claimed you could find the vats where they mixed the poison.”

Perhaps the poison of this country is greed?

“The fruit trees are there though, they still yield fruit if you come at the right time of the year”

The fruit trees are the families descendent from those original settlers. The “right time of year” can refer to how we control the timing of reproduction now.

“The end was so thorough that even the animals in homemade cages were not spared. The only creatures that lived were those that escaped into the cover of the wilderness”

We now have the technology for weapons of mass destruction. Entire populations could really be incinerated. A lot of people, however, think our real demise will be the destruction of the environment. The only way to prevent this apocalypse would be to learn to live in harmony with the wilderness and adopt a way of life closer to how the Native Americans lived. But now they aren’t around to teach us. And as for “caged animals”, many of our pets would not survive without us because we’ve breed them to be dependent on human care.

“There was one woman though who slept through it all. She was one of what they called their seniors. She woke up the next morning, not so much alone as the only one living”

“Sleeping through it all” can be interpreted as a refusal to participate in the destructive habits of our society.

“…an American who visits the place on a regular basis. He wants to build a marble monument with the names of everyone who died etched into it. Apparently it’s been difficult though, they never identified a lot of people. They’re buried in a mass grave in CA.”

Monuments are often built to commemorate historical events or people. Our own society may someday only be memory in history books, museums, and monuments. Most of the population would be completely forgotten. And CA was the final frontier for this country.

“There’s a picture taken in the days after the end before they moved anything or anyone of two (birds) preening on a fence above the bodies…”

Reclaiming Series - First Photos

2008-11-23T18:50:00.000-08:00

I talked about the theme of nature prevailing in the urban landscape in my second idea post. I've decided to call this series "Reclaiming". Here's I posted some pictures from Great Shiplock Park in Shockoe Bottom. This historic landmark is an abandoned industrial construction and the area has decayed greatly as nature reclaims its territory. I find it eerie to see this decaying in the foreground with our current city shown up ahead in the distance.

Orange Series - First Photo

2008-11-23T18:33:00.000-08:00

The photos of the "Orange" series will represent the pollution of an urban landscape. The orange haze around a city creates surreal affects in the sunset. This first photo captures that in the background, peering through a concrete barrier.

Also, I can often see an orange glow all night from the lights reflecting if I'm just outside the downtown limits. The birds chirp wildly late into the night as they normally would at sunrise. I wonder if this orange haze is confusing them, disturbing their natural rhythm. I want to take pictures of this glow in the distance.

Another photo of the series will also equate the color orange with pollution. I noticed a few weeks ago near Brown's Island that an area of stagnant water was a sickly orange. This may be due to acidifying of the water. In the presence a certain bacteria, iron contaminants will oxidize and create an orange sludge with a pH low enough to cause an acid burn. If I can get a hold of some litmus paper, I will test this theory.

Natural Beauty Series - First Photos

2008-11-23T18:18:00.000-08:00

These are just the first photos of this series. I want to take some outside on a windy day, maybe at a park along the James River. I've also thought of submerging myself in part of the river and having a friend photograph the hair coming up to the surface.

More on my original ideas

2008-11-21T05:54:00.000-08:00

So yesterday I posted the hair idea. This will probably turn into a series of photos using elements of nature of manipulate the hair. And I want every picture to be anonymous, no face.

I've also thought of one other idea using the urban landscape. I'm interested in the concept of nature rebelling to mankind's efforts to conquer it. The photos will demonstrate the instances where you can find a tree, a vine, some grass or any other plant prevailing in this concrete world against all odds.

I've noticed several times a tree growing out of a second story window in an abandoned wearhouse near campus. I also saw a vine growing across a concrete overpass near Canal St. A few days ago the vine had deep red leaves. Strikingly beautiful, really. And, of course, there are plenty of instances where our pavement and concrete is cracked and pushed aside by grass.

The significance of this series is the representation of the power of nature. American's have really lost touch with the harmony we are intended to have with the earth. We seem to constantly struggle against its forces to maintain a synthetic order. This includes everything from keeping the lawn trimmed to building giant fortifications of steel and fake stone to hold our offices and living space and worse.

However, we are only one species. As intelligent as humans may be, nature is constantly whispering in our ear that it knows more. Try as we might, we may never unravel all of its secrets. The earth was here eons without us, and I believe it will continue just fine once our species is gone. If we were to go extinct today, it may only take centuries for our cities to return to dust as well as our bodies. And a few centuries is nothing compared to the billions of years since the earth first existed.

Photo Ideas (Pictures Soon)

2008-11-20T07:31:00.000-08:00

So I mentioned in class that my laptop is being stubborn. Hopefully I am able to load actual pictures soon. Here one of my ideas so far.

First Idea

As my first work of "Earth Art," I wanted something that represented my introduction to it. I didnt know what to expect from this module. Sunsets? Ocean landscapes? Cave drawings? That seemed too easy but I was pleasantly surprised. However, it did take me a while to catch on.

So I thought of this as my first original piece-

I'll have someone take a picture of my hair pulled back with a writing utencil and entitle it "Natural Beauty". I dont want any of my face in the picture. This should be anonymous.

The significance isnt obvious, so bear with me. I want to challenge the viewer with several layers of meaning.

The title is meant to be ambiguous and ironic. When most people hear the phrase "natural beauty" they think of idealized images of young women like the ones that grace the cover of Cosmo. Women are held up to these expectations of so-called "beauty" and often judged unfairly based on their looks alone. However, an individual's identity and the impression they give should not depend so much on their outward appearence.

That leads me to the first layer of meaning. I want my viewer to get the wrong first impression and miss the depth. I intend for you to think I'm shallow and only saying, "Look at my hair. Isnt is pretty?"

If you initially thought that, did you also conclude something about my intelligence? Do you now doubt this initial judement since you know a little more? That's the first layer.

Now let's go further. Earth Art encompasses the connection between humanity and nature. As we saw with Ava Mendieta (sp?) the artist may use their own body in the piece. I'm not about to post any nude pics, but I digress. However, in today's culture, so much of a woman's appearance is artificially maintained with synthetic clothes, gyms, make-up, controlled diets, colored contacts, hair dye, medications, and so on. My hair is the only piece I consider to be really "natural" and virtually untouched. I dont even own a hair dryer or other appliances. Just a brush, shampoo and conditioner, a few bands, and one clip. So yeah, you can really find me making do with a pen or pencil to hold it back. Not very "sophisticated", huh? I guess I should know better since fashion magazines are always packed full of styles so I can instantly morph into my sexy, smoldering alter-ego before hitting the club scene each night to play the mating game (sarcasm).

I used to care a lot more about my hair. I remember at age 13 washing and drying it every morning trying to force order into it. I was a much different person then, too caught up in what other people thought. I also wore thick black eyeliner and bright eye shadow in colors like purple and blue. Then I literally had my "eyes opened" when I got my vision corrected with contacts and took a good look in the mirror. I looked like crap, all fake and artificial. If my face was a canvas, it wasnt a pretty painting. As for the hair, I had tried to put blonde in it that came out orange. Later attempts with hair dye to correct the color had the same problem. That and the damage from heat treatments would just have to grow out. Anyway, back to the art and enough about me.

I notice a major theme in Earth Art pieces is the damage that people often do to nature when they try to control and tame it. Often the best thing to do is just let the earth heal itself. I didnt have to do anything to my hair to make it grow back. It just did so naturally over the years. The picture of my hair represents the female form, this theme of healing over time, and my own personal transformation. And, like I said, I want the viewer to be challenged with false impressions for satire.

Other significance is in the spiral and the use of a writing utencil. If the hair is nature at work, then the pencil is knowledge. Which is holding up which? I'm still considering this question. It had deep philosophical value.

The spiral is there for a timeless effect. Many ancient cultures used them too. Oh and those ancient people had hair. Probably all dark hair too, depending how far back we're talking.

Okay, so I've exhausted all my thoughts on this. Picture coming soon.

Great Serpent Mound

2008-11-12T13:31:00.000-08:00

This mound was created by the Fort Ancient people in Ohio between 1025 A.D. and 1215 A.D. The mound is in the shape of a snake and is over 1300 feet long. It probably had a ceremonial purpose. One interesting fact is that the head of the snake lines up with the sunset on the summer solstice.

Nazca Aquaduct

2008-11-12T13:18:00.000-08:00

This is the remains of an aquaduct created by the Nazca Indians in Peru. To me this represents the dependence of mankind on the earth. It resembles several modern pieces we've seen in class, showing how works like these have a timeless quality.

Nazca Lines

2008-11-12T12:39:00.000-08:00

These pictures show what are known as "Nazca Lines". They were created by the Nazca tribe that flourished in Peru between 200 B.C. and 600 A.D. Most archeologists suggest they had a religious or ritual purpose. The lines are etched into stone and some span over 1000 feet. Tourist often view the drawings from an airplane. Without such technology, the Nazca may have perfected the drawings using surveying techniques to create a grid as a guide.

Notice that they tail of this monkey includes a spiral, a common motiff throughout Earth Art.

Earth Art Definition

2008-11-12T12:25:00.000-08:00

Earth Art expresses the timeless relationship between mankind and nature and the artist's appreciation of natural beauty. Most pieces are made entirely of natural media with minimal alteration by the artist. Nature can be considered a participant in the formation of the art.