Considered one of the most influential artists of his generation, Richard Long’s works have extended the possibilities of sculpture beyond traditional materials and methods. Central to Long’s work is the activity of walking. Since the mid-1960s he has taken countless walks throughout the world, in such places as the Sahara Desert, Australia, Iceland and near his home in Bristol, United Kingdom. The walks bring together physical endurance and principles of order, action and idea. From these walks emerge the ideas and material for his works. Long’s sculptures commonly take the form of geometric shapes (as here) — circles, lines, ellipses, and spirals – and are often composed of minerals native either to their location or to the British countryside Long has traveled by foot. This work thus involves Cornish slate gathered on one such occasion. He also sources mud and earth from his expeditions for use in performative paintings done on canvas or directly onto the wall.
The Brooklyn Rail | April 2020 | In Conversation
Richard Long with Robert C. Morgan
