Chpt. 6 Reading: Time & Motion

After reading this chapter a couple things jumped out at me from the text I’d like to explore further, the first being the idea that 4D art is unique as far as art forms goes because the time and effort of the audience member is as much a part of the art as the physical product itself, exemplified best by Robert Irwin’s “Garden for the Getty” in Los Angeles. This seems to shift the attention away from thinking of an art piece as a finished product, really pulling back the specifics to examine the broader implications of artistic elements we seemingly take for granted. And after reading about Andy Goldsworthy’s incredibly poignant, incredibly short-lived “Ice Pyramids in the Arctic Circle” a sculpture that couldn’t have lasted more than a few weeks at best, it had me really questioning if the whole escapade seemed worthwhile to me. I’m sure it was for Andy, that I don’t doubt, but my pragmatic leanings pull me towards this question. If there was no camera, no record of this impressive and beautiful artistry and this man’s vision, would his work have the same impact? Fully understanding that the point of the work IS the eventual destruction of the art by the elements, the entropy of all things, and the fleetingness of a moment. I wonder if the act of demonstrating that phenomena is still such a worthwhile feat without a single soul knowing? I also wonder if this value judgment shows more bias in my own views on art than it reflects a flaw in Andy’s.