Process art and earthworks

History of Modern Art: Chapter 23: Post-Minimalism, Earth Art, and New Imagists, 587-620

Art in Theory: Robert Smithson, “A Sedimentation of the Mind: Earth Projects,” 877-881
Eva Hesse, “Interview with Cindy Nemser,” 900-903

PowerPoint chapter 23

We are now going to study Process Art and Earthworks (Land Art), two art styles/movements that are often grouped together under the general heading of Post-Minimalism. Post-Minimalism is a term applied to the work of artists that either began as Minimalists or developed their practice in response to Minimalism. (We will also read about additional art movements and artists that are loosely grouped under this heading, or that were working at the same time, including figurative artists and those exploring pattern and decoration- P&D- in response to geometric abstraction, and especially Minimalism.)

Artists working in Process Art were still interested in working in abstraction, but the “means and duration of the process” became as important as the final work (Arnason and Mansfield 588). One of the Process artists was Richard Serra, who created a series of works in which he “splashed” molten lead on the gallery floor.

Earthworks and Land Art grew out of the Environmental Movement of the 1960s and 70s. Earthworks entailed monumental alterations to the environment. This was a new approach to working in landscape that went well beyond traditional portrayals.

You are to respond to the following two prompts after completing the assigned reading . Please do not conduct additional research. You must work on your responses independently and they are to be phrased in your own words. If you quote from the assigned readings, please keep it to a minimum, and include proper citations. Plagiarized responses will not receive credit. Each response should be roughly a paragraph or two in length, single or double-spaced. Please answer all components of the prompt. Please use all 3 sources.

1. Eva Hesse is among the Post-Minimalist artists who are recognized for working with unusual materials and processes. Select one of Hesse’s artworks from the Chapter 23 PowerPoint to describe and interpret, with an emphasis on the process used in its making (taking into consideration Hesse’s discussion of her process and materials in the interview from Art in Theory). Then explain what Arnason and Mansfield mean when they state that Hesse’s work “takes the characteristic Minimalist concern with repeatable, serial objects, and ‘humanizes’ it” (590).

2. Select an Earthwork created by Michael Heizer, Walter de Maria, or Robert Smithson from the Chapter 23 PowerPoint to analyze. In your discussion address the characteristics of the artwork that are akin to Minimalism. Also address the issue of site-specificity as it relates to the work in discussion. Finally, how were Earthworks connected to environmental concerns at the time?