Nature and Humanity 

I love nature. Being outdoors among the trees, animals, and the wind nourishes my soul. Out of all the art styles we have studied so far, I think I appreciate postmodern art the most. The ability to tell a story through various mediums, incorporating a touch of irony, provoking deep thoughts about our humanity, and allowing the viewer to derive their own meaning resonates deeply with me. This aspect of postmodern art enhances my appreciation for it.  We are going to journey first through nature, then explore how nature and humanity work and diverge from each other, and finally end with some humor from our human follies and perspectives.  

Andrew Goldsworthy 

I love looking at the final pictures of Andrew Goldsworthy hard work.  He is an artist that has a talent of bringing together forms made of nature but are clearly man made.  Before this I had only seen the final pictures of his work, but didn't realize all that went into them.  While I am just showing you the finished piece of his art, I encourage you to check out his website.  It's not just this picture that is his art, but the entire process.  His skill in working with and in nature is astounding.  Showing the beauty of nature becomes a message to the world that we can and must work with and for nature to continue to live among it. 

Split Oak Wood   England 2023

I'll admit it: I'm a dendrophile, a tree lover. This picture immediately caught my eye. The texture of the branches, laid out to the sides, resembles arms with long, spindly fingers reaching out, trying to connect back to the earth where they had grown and taken root for so many years. This tree has been split in half, with the split trunk rotting away. Goldsworthy collected fallen oak branches from the area and formed an acorn structure on the trunk. Beneath it, he planted real acorns that will be nurtured by the decaying trunk and collected branches, acting as a nurse log to foster the growth of a new tree. Here, we see his art utilizing all available space: above, with the acorn structure; below, with the seedlings; and to the sides, the outstretched branches. I love the shape of the acorn he created, representing a nest, an egg, and the future birth of a new, strong oak tree. I love how he not only created a beautiful sculpture from trees but incorporated an appreciation for our earth and renewal, encouraging the growth of beautiful and essential trees.

To grow and sustain life, water is essential. 

Colebrook Quarry Rain Shadow.  Tasmania 28 February 2024

The cracked earth in this picture highlights the vital importance of water. The dry, gray, and brown landscape creates a desolate scene. Ironically, this image was taken right after it had rained. The author lay down in a spot to create a shadow while the rain poured down around him. The shadow serves as a reminder that our impact on the Earth is pervasive and felt everywhere. Where there is life, there is death, and we are contributing to this destruction. However, we also have the power to help sustain life. Without the Earth and all its gifts, we are nothing.

To everything there is a season...

Iron Rising out of the ground in the valley below
Collected and painted onto a dead Hawthorn tree
Photographed over two days
21 and 22 June 2022
Hanging Stones, North Yorkshire

The lush valley slopes down to a central point, drawing our eyes to the middle where the spindly, rust-colored branches of a dead hawthorn rise out of the shadows. This stark contrast highlights the vibrant greens of the smooth fields and the lively trees around it. The hawthorn tree symbolizes fertility and strength; its thorns were used to create the crown of Christ, and it has medicinal properties that are beneficial for the heart. In this scene, we see a dead tree surrounded by vibrant life, representing a balance between life and death—a testament to the resilience of life as it continues to flourish.

This image was captured over two days, with each photograph displaying varying degrees of light. These changes illuminate not only the branches, which resemble flames rising from the earth, but also the surrounding ferns and the stone wall leading to the dead tree. Each picture conveys a sense of experiencing nature and the passage of time, as the clouds shift and the sun travels across the sky, reminding us that there is a season for everything. There is a time for birth, for growth, and for passing on. Time will endure long after we are gone.

Maya Lin

 "I see myself existing between boundaries, a place where opposites meet; science and art, art and architecture, East and West. My work originates from a simple desire to make people aware of their surroundings.”

-Maya Lin

Maya Lin was born in Athens, Ohio, in 1959. She is a world-renowned artist known for her work in architecture, memorial design, and art that emphasizes our environment as well as humanitarian losses and achievements. Since 2009, she has been working on the Missing Piece Memorial, which focuses on climate change, habitat destruction, and the loss of species. Through her art, she aims to raise awareness about these critical issues.

The Sound Ring, 2014
Black walnut, speakers
7’-7” x 9’-6” x 6”
Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY

 "One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,

One Ring to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them."

J.R.R Tolkien

This large, smooth ring made of black walnut is a perfect symbol of unity. The round, elliptical shape occupies space while also leaving an empty void within the circle. It evokes a range of feelings—feelings of connection and wholeness, yet also a sense of emptiness and vastness. It reminds me of our Earth and our fellowship with one another. Upon first seeing this beautiful ring, I was reminded of the poem found in "The Lord of the Rings." The story is not merely about a journey with hobbits, dwarves, and men; it reflects on humanity, our strengths and weaknesses, and our destructive greed that is forever harming the Earth, while nature continuously strives to survive and flourish.
This piece is part of a larger collection called "What is Missing?" Its form is part of the top of the Listening Cone, another work in the collection. The Sound Ring was specifically created for the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, representing their collection of species and habitat sounds. Within the structure, hidden speakers play soundscapes crafted by the Lab, featuring the sounds of endangered animals and habitats from around the world. This creates a multi-sensory experience while appreciating this beautiful piece.

The Empty Room, 2010
Projectors, handheld screens
Dimensions variable Photography: Matthew Niederhauser, courtesy What is Missing? Foundation

One fascinating display in the "What is Missing?" collection is called "The Empty Room." This exhibit focuses on absence and is a thought-provoking, interactive experience. Upon entering the dark room, viewers encounter flickering lights and a film projected from the floor and ceiling. A thin, clear screen acts as a guiding projection that visitors can "catch" and hold in their hands. Through this screen, they can see and hear the sounds of an endangered species or habitat, fostering a meaningful connection.

I find this display intriguing because Lin is modernizing the focus on endangered species to capture people's attention. Many individuals are often glued to their screens for information and social interaction, which causes them to overlook the real world around them. Ironically, "The Empty Room" highlights the void of life we are creating through our actions. Our reliance on electronics contributes to the degradation of nature.

As someone from a transitional generation, moving from enjoying entertainment in the physical world to having it available at our fingertips, I resonate with this piece. Now, as a mother, I am navigating the balance of media consumption for myself and especially for my children—it's an entirely new experience.

“Hope” is the thing with feathers
by Emily Dickinson
“Hope” is the thing with feathers -
That perches in the soul -
And sings the tune without the words -
And never stops - at all -
And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -
And sore must be the storm -
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm -
I’ve heard it in the chillest land -
And on the strangest Sea -
Yet - never - in Extremity,
It asked a crumb - of me.

Uplift, 2010
Ellen S. Clark Hope Plaza
Washington University School Of Medicine, St. Louis, MissouriLandscape Architect: Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates Inc.
Lighting Design: Tillett Lighting Design Associates
Photography: William Zbaren, Davey Rocco, Tim Merritt, Ngoc Minh Ngo

This lovely memorial piece was created for the wife of one of Lin's clients, who was very ill. It is not only beautiful but also filled with love and thoughtfulness. The memorial is located in a plaza at the BIC Institute of Health at Washington University School of Medicine. Although it honors this woman, it is a continual source of hope, renewal, and peace for other patients battling illnesses.

This memorial features a pond that creates a sensation of floating for those who stand on the circular stone platform. The use of circles symbolizes unity, peace, wholeness, and the challenges we face. The rounded lines of the pond and the pathways in the plaza evoke feelings of comfort and tranquility. The grasses and trees integrate nature into the space, providing a sense of renewal. These natural elements were specifically chosen to reflect the woman’s birthplace in St. Louis, MO. Lin eloquently describes her vision: "As one walks around the pool, it transforms into a cantilevered bowl with water lilies floating in it." Lin aimed to create a peaceful refuge for the patients staying there. Around the small concrete circle, Emily Dickinson's poem "Hope" is inscribed on a beautiful steel panel. Even more poignant is the secret that was kept from the woman until the dedication. The light pattern on the small circle replicates the constellation pattern over St. Louis on her birthdate!

Tom Frantzen

“Sculptures bring a dynamic to a street or a square. Often they rediscover people or situations in a way that gives them a second life and retains their meaning for future generations.”
Tom Frantzen

Not much information is available about Tom Frantzen, a sculptor who derives joy from creating works that amuse, inspire, and encourage people to reflect on life. He was born in Boitsfort, Belgium, and began winning cartoon contests in various magazines at the age of 14. This early success hints at his perspective on life, as he seeks humor in all its facets. 
Frantzen values imagination and quirkiness, choosing not to conform to current art trends. His sculptures demonstrate his love for both humanity and the animal kingdom, and he often aims to “kick humanity’s conscience every now and then” while bringing smiles to viewers. 
His sculptures can be found throughout cities, public squares, and sidewalks in Belgium, inviting people to stumble upon them.

Vaartkapoen  Place Sainctelette Molenbeek 1985

One of his most famous works is the "Vaartkapoen," a sculpture depicting a man,  emerging from a manhole and tripping a police officer, which certainly provides comic relief to passersby.  Notice how this sculpture is life-sized and positioned at an angle, which gives it a sense of movement, as if it is occurring in real time. The clothing and faces of the men (viewed from a different perspective) are detailed and lifelike; however, there is an element of comedy that makes it feel like a life-sized cartoon.

This sculpture has a historical background. In the 19th century, the canals in Brussels did not follow their current course. At one time, the canal ended at Place Sainctelette, the location where this statue stands. Since the 16th century, the canals Charleroi Canal and the Willebroek Canal connected here. The Vaartkapoen were young men who helped pull boats around the bend. The layout of the canal is now different from its historical path,and Frantzens' sculpture was installed in 1985 to honor the Vaartkapoen. The term "Vaartkapoen" literally means "canal rascal" and has come to refer to a boy of "dubious morals" who hangs around the canal looking for odd jobs or mischief.

Pieter Bruegel 2002 Place de la Chapelle Brussels, partial placement 2015   Tom Frantzen 

I really like this sculpture, called Pieter Bruegel because it appears as though I am looking at a painting, with the backdrop of the city and the artist's hand paused in midair, in the process of creating his masterpiece. The square frame provides an outline but remains incomplete. This frame is called "The Open Window," symbolizing the "open mind of the Renaissance Humanist." Like many of Frantzen's sculptures, it is life-sized. How wonderful it would be to stroll through a city where art has been part of its history for hundreds of years and to encounter the famous Pieter Bruegel!

Frantzen paid close attention to Bruegel's facial features and depicted his long beard, which appears in many portraits. In 2020, the city of Brussels hired artists to create an art walk through the Marolles neighborhood in celebration of Pieter Bruegel on the 450th anniversary of his death. I must admit that finding the exact date of this sculpture's creation and placement has been challenging. According to Tom Frantzen's website, it was made in 2002, with partial placement in 2015. However, a tour guide website celebrating the art walk states that the artists were hired to create the art for the anniversary in 2020. 

So, my best guess is that this sculpture was made in 2002 and had quite possibly already been placed in its current location before the art walk, as both Frantzen and Bruegel are associated with this area. I imagine this was Frantzen's way of paying tribute, as both artists share a satirical perspective on daily life and portray humanity through stories, symbolism, and parables. Similar to Bruegel's painting of the two monkeys, this sculpture also conveys the idea of looking through a window into an ideal world on the other side. Of course, the sculpture wouldn’t be complete without the monkey on the artist's back, which helps to connect the two.

Saint Exupery's First dream, 2007 at the roundabout at the intersection of Leuvanbaan and Tervuursesteenweg (N227) Steenokkerzeel

There are several statues of a flock of geese or possibly swans around Brussels, located on various roundabouts. This sculpture evokes a sense of nostalgia, reminding me of a child’s imagination—taking flight and feeling the wind in my hair while soaring freely with the birds. I love how the sculpture curves as the birds dive down and then ascend back into the sky, with their wings in various positions of flight. 
The girl on the lead bird, with her braids uplifted, adds a sense of whimsy. The stark white pillar supporting the sculpture is strong and devoid of any detail, allowing all the focus to be on the flight of the flock. 

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, the author of *The Little Prince*, wrote a beautiful story in which the little prince escapes his planet by joining a migratory flock of birds. The book beautifully narrates the prince’s journey across different planets, revealing the dilemmas and struggles of humanity that we face every day in our lives. 

I can understand why Frantzen would choose to depict this story in his art, as it aligns with his own philosophies. The statue represents the fantasies of youth, as well as the love, care, and effort required to take care of our lives, our home, and our beloved planet Earth.

Through the work of these artists, we can explore nature with all our senses and discover its significance to us. Their art connects humanity and nature, helping us find a perfect balance that allows us to live in harmony with our natural surroundings and enjoy the company of our fellow humans on our journey.

Works Cited 

Andrew Goldsworthy

“Split Oak Wood.” Andy Goldsworthy, https://andygoldsworthystudio.com/split-oak-wood/. Accessed 18 November 2024. “Andy Goldsworthy Colebrook Quarry Rain Shadow.” Andy Goldsworthy, https://andygoldsworthystudio.com/colebrook-quarry-rain-shadow/. Accessed 18 November 2024. “Iron.” Andy Goldsworthy, https://andygoldsworthystudio.com/iron/. Accessed 18 November 2024. Goldsworthy, Andy. “Andy Goldsworthy Sculptures, Bio, Ideas | TheArtStory.” The Art Story, 2 May 2018, https://www.theartstory.org/artist/goldsworthy-andy/. Accessed 18 November 2024.
Maya Lin 

“THE SOUND RING | CORNELL LAB OF ORNITHOLOGY — MAYA LIN STUDIO.” MAYA LIN STUDIO, https://www.mayalinstudio.com/memory-works/the-sound-ring. Accessed 18 November 2024.
Lin, Maya. “The Empty Room.” mayalinstudio.com, https://www.mayalinstudio.com/memory-works/the-empty-room. Accessed 18 November 2024 “UPLIFT — MAYA LIN STUDIO.” MAYA LIN STUDIO, https://www.mayalinstudio.com/architecture/uplift. Accessed 18 November 2024.
Tom Frantzen 
please note, many of these websites I had to use the translator on my computer, as they are written in Dutch. 

“Bruegel Street Art walk across the Marolles neighborhood – BrusselsPictures.com.” BrusselsPictures.com, 3 July 2020, https://www.brusselspictures.com/2020/07/03/bruegel-street-art-walk-across-the-marolles-neighborhood/. Accessed 18 November 2024.

“De Vaartkapoen © visit brussels.” Visit Brussels, https://www.visit.brussels/en/visitors/venue-details.Vaartkapoen.50001090. Accessed 18 November 2024.

Frantzen, Tom. “Les sculptures.” Tom Frantzen, https://www.tomfrantzen.com/fr/lessculptures. Accessed 18 November 2024.

Bruegel, Pieter. “Bruegel's Two Monkeys: One of art's most enduring puzzles?” BBC, 5 October 2018, https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20181005-bruegels-two-monkeys-one-of-arts-most-enduring-puzzles Accessed 18 November 2024.