Land Art

The land art movement first appeared in the U.S. in the late 1960s. Most of the work was created in a landscape setting, using whatever materials the artist came across. Part of its appeal is that in many cases the artist's work is quickly changed by the forces of nature. For example, Robert Smithson built a vast spiral jetty from earth and stones in the Great Salt Lake in Utah. Now deposits of salt and sulphur have completely changed the way it looks.
Some land artists welcomed such impermanence, because it meant their work could not be owned. As land art is often in wild, out-of-the-way places, it is rarely seen by the public.

Many artists therefore record there activities in words, photographs, and so on.
Richard Long is one of the most famous and successful land artists. Much of his work consists of going for long, carefully planned walks in wild and lonely parts of the world. Sometimes he leaves his mark by making small changes to the landscape, such as forming a line of stones. More recently he has brought back objects from this walks and used them to make up sculptures in art galleries.