Born in Cheshire in 1956, Andy Goldsworthy O.B.E spent much of his youth working outdoors, beginning as a farm labourer at the age of 13.
This early connection to the land has deeply impacted his artistic practice, where his surrounding and the natural world plays an integral role. Drawing inspiration from the environment around him, Goldsworthy creates his art using organic materials such as clay, stone, reeds, branches, flowers, leaves, snow, twigs, and trees.
While his striking land art and large-scale installations are well known, photography is key to Goldsworthy’s practice. Many of his works are temporary and site-specific, and photography serves as a vital tool for capturing their essence. As he explains
"Each work grows, stays, decays - integral parts of a cycle which the photograph shows at its height, marking the moment when the work is most alive."
His significant, long-lasting career is currently being celebrated with his largest ever indoor exhibition, Andy Goldsworthy: Fifty Years, currently on view at the National Galleries of Scotland.
