Earth Day is a day we celebrate in April and what better way to celebrate it than with Earth (or Land) Art! Some of you may be asking, what is Earth Art? It is the creation of art using materials found in nature and the land itself. Earth art can give people a new appreciation for the Earth by reminding them of its beauty and can bring more awareness to how important it is that we preserve it. 

While ancient cultures were the first to use the earth as a form of expression, Land or Earth art became an art form in the 1960’s. Inspiration was drawn from ancient natural structures such as Stonehenge, the Nazca lines in Peru, and even the Pyramids in Egypt.  This art movement was rooted in conceptual and minimalism art and fueled by the environmental movement.  

Earth Art originally was a site-specific work of art, but contemporary artists are bringing it into the galleries. Contemporary Earth artists are taking this different approach with climate change in mind. These artists are attempting to represent Earth as a living, breathing entity that changes over time. They are striving to give us an appreciation for the Earth, and to eradicate the ignorance that leads to its destruction.  

This Earth day get out there and experiment with Earth Art! Get a group together and go see what you can create. Don’t forget to take pictures. Some artists visit their Earth Art every season and take pictures to see the ways in which it has changed. This is something you could do as well!

For inspiration look at the examples below.  

Artist: Jon Foreman

Artist: Precious Okoyomon

Artist: Spencer Byles

Artist: Unknown

Artist: James Brunt

Artist: Robert Smithson