A concert about Andy Goldsworthy's work in the Presidio.
In the film Rivers and Tides, a film about the life and work of Andy Goldsworthy, the artist lies on the pavement just before a rainstorm. The rain pours down, leaving him and the ground soaked and wet. He stands up, then snaps a photo of the dry pavement outline of his body, a snow angel made from rain.
Using water as a medium? Brilliant. The patience required to lie there, stock still? Fascinating. The work of art when complete? Beautiful and impermanent; a quiet lesson about human impact on the world. The revelation? This was an invitation into Goldsworthy's artistic process; a work of art that could be created by anyone.
Andy Goldsworthy draws attention to the relationship between Man and Nature in all of his works. Using natural materials, most of the works feel as if they could almost have occurred naturally, when in fact, the pieces are quite labor intensive to produce. Many require the use of cranes and chainsaws during assembly. Yet they appear so authentic and natural, belonging fully to the environment in which they have been placed; not our current human model of relating to Nature.
Art in all its many forms may not offer solutions, but its power, strength, and beauty can provoke reflection, sensitivity, and understanding. Each of the compositions presented in this concert speaks to that relationship between Man and Nature, between humanity and the environments it inhabits.