Ends of the Earth Land Art to 1974 (MOCA)

Abstract

This paper provides the study of Robert Morris's “Earthwork AKA Untitled (Dirt)” presented for the exhibition by the Museum of Contemporary Art at Loss Angeles “Ends of the Earth: Land Art to 1974”.This Paper also provides the detailed analysis of Morris's Land work in context of the social, philosophical and psychoanalytical comparison with the contemporary artists and their work

Table of Contents

Abstractii

Introduction1

Thesis Statement1

Discussion1

Contemporary Artists and their works2

Morris's Engagement with his Work3

Social History of Land Art4

Philosophical and Psychoanalytical contrast with other Artists and movements4

Minimalism and Art of Dimensions5

Conceptual Art versus Perceptual Art6

Art of forms and dimensions: Land Art, Minimal Art and Conceptual Art6

Conclusion7

End Notes8

Ends of the Earth Land Art to 1974 (MOCA)

Introduction

Robert Morris's “Earthwork AKA Untitled (Dirt)”, is one of the major works that was presented in the Exhibition by the Museum of Contemporary Art at Loss Angeles “Ends of the Earth: Land Art to 1974”. This was the most compelling art work created for MOCA. He used a mound of dirt which he strewn across the gallery floor in a proper patter, it is also a new and unusual way of presenting different features of nature and arranging it with the artistic manner, it is Morris's expertise if working with unusual materials. It was a primordial mass of dirt, grease, and rolls of felt which due to its unusual and unique form, attracted audience's attention.

According to a report by Los Angeles Confidential magazine, the exhibition by MOCA at the Geffen Contemporary provide a history of land art till 1974, they exhibit a collection of 250 works of artists from all over the world .Another art magazine reported the event as “first of its kind” . One more leading magazine Culture Spectator which deals in visual and performing Arts, Architecture and Design reported the whole magnificent event. The works presented by all the artists are astonishing, original and extraordinary that reflected the beauty of earth and provides a new dimension to view the nature.

Thesis Statement

Morris's land work provides the social, philosophical and psychoanalytical study in new dimensions of Art.

Discussion

Robert Morris's “Earthwork AKA Untitled (Dirt)”, is the new dimension in the field of art; it is an aesthetic appreciation of the Earth and nature. The concept originated in 1960's, it is the way to present the beauty of nature with a new thought, to give this world a new vision to look and admire the nature and to prevent it from destruction. It involves landscape architecture and environmental sculptor, some also involve with minimal and conceptual art. It also the idea of working with the objects that are beyond imaginations of normal medium of art especially the discarded ones is the artist's ability to create something out of nothing. It involves reshaping, scraping and rearrangement of various objects so that they can reflect a principle, idea or mechanism. It requires proper observation and study of every aspect of the object, there is need to identify the hidden meanings that the object reveal and to emphasize ...