even flow

Andy Goldsworthy is a famed artist who uses a unique yet very creative process to create his art pieces. He travels all over the world to far away places in order to make art, all out of natural materials from the earth. He uses anything from rocks to flowers, leaves, icicles, etc. Sometimes he is not able to finish the work in time and it is destroyed by water, heat, wind or other factors.
Andy uses a lot of personal experience to engage and inform the audience. He does a great job of drawing people into his world of art and processing abstract thoughts into concrete ideas. He speaks to audience members as if he knows them, or is comfortable with the recording of his art processes. But at one point he tells us that he is very much a sort of "loner" or an introvert. When I was in high school I too considered myself quite a loner and was very introverted. I found such comfort in expressing my feelings through different styles and mediums of art. But I never thought to use something as beautiful and absolutely natural as the wilderness to produce art. To me, this is one of the most interesting ways to work as an artist. The simplicity of finding tools in nature is almost ironic to me because all art supplies originate and are formed from products found in nature. I never thought to try it before, but look forward to future adventures in creating my own eco-art.
The documentary style of the film was extremely personal. Andy gives a lot of personal stories that apply to some of his pieces, such as the tree with a hole in it that is meant to represent the absence that has grown as a result of the loss of his close friend's wife. The personal aspect this artist uses to express himself is one that I both learned from, as well as related to. My art tends to reflect very intimate ideas or experiences of my own.
Documentary style in the film includes a few important facts about Andy's life before his 'discovery' as an artist. He shared with the audience some of his education as a student at Lancaster School in Art. And outside of school he began to find his comfort working with nature, stating that he discovered an energy outside of the classroom that he could not tap into when he was confined inside.
The cinematic style of the film's topic was visually represented by the directors use of cinematography including close ups of Andy's hands, which graphically illustrates to the audience his physical contribution to his art. The nicks on his hands powerfully demonstrates the effort used to create his art. There is nothing between the object of his imagination and his fingers. Remnants of his finger nails, blood, and sweat are often integrated into his pieces and become part of his work. This visual representation dictates the full extent of his contribution to his eco-art.
One of the most interesting things Andy said was "That which brings it together tears it apart". He is referring of course to the art mediums he uses. The rocks, leaves, ice, sticks and other things always end up being destroyed, whether he finishes it or not, and it's always mother nature who tears it apart. Another interesting analogy he made was the way he feels when he moves from place to place. Andy describes this process as being like a plant. When he moves it gives him a feeling of being uprooted and it takes time and effort and strength to start life again. One quote that relates to this and stuck with me was when Andy said that he, "Builds with nature in nature...until the tide comes to erase the canvas.
Andy tells the audience that the influence of his work is the sea and the river. In the film, his work takes place most of the time very near different bodies of water. As far as strategies used to persuade audiences about the film's topic, it showed very vividly the mortality of nature's ability of destruction of life, and in this case, of art. To engage the audience, the film depicts Goldsworthy's work in nature. Andy says at one point when reminiscing about his long career in eco-art, "You are a part of it by looking at it."
Finally, one of the strategies used to inform the audience about the film's topic was through expressing step by step what Andy's work means to him and to his fans, and audiences of the film, as well as what his work represents.


Here is a synopsis of the film found on the website sent in the e-mail about the film series:
FRACTURED ENVIRONMENTS: MENDING WHAT'S BROKEN...
Hosted by Linda Lilienfeld from "Let's Talk About Water".

RIVERS AND TIDES depicts the magical relationship between art and nature while painting a visually intoxicating portrait of famed artist Andy Goldsworthy. Gorgeously shot and masterfully edited, the film follows the bohemian free spirit Goldsworthy all over the world as he demonstrates and opens up about his unique creative process. From his long-winding rock walls and icicle sculptures to his interlocking leaf chains and multicolored pools of flowers, Goldsworthy’s painstakingly intricate masterpieces are made entirely of materials found in Mother Nature — who threatens and often succeeds in destroying his art, sometimes before it is even finished.

For more information, visit fracturedenvironments.com