Earthquake Circle by Richard Long
1991
Richard LongFacts
- Material
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Calanca gneiss
- Size
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Diameter: 600 cm
- Description
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Richard Long's art is made by walking (and sometimes cycling) in natural landscapes across the world's wildernesses and the photographs of the works he makes along the way. Inspired by his deep love of nature, these can take many forms: a line of dust made by the scuff marks of his walking boots in the desert sand; a circle of sharply pointed rocks perched on a glacial moraine.
© 2020 ProLitteris Zurich
Image copyright: Stefan Altenburger
The beauty lies in the simplicity of each piece – which goes against the grain of how we live our lives. Some works, like this sculpture, find their way into the man-made environment. Earthquake Circle, made from Calanca gneiss (grey natural stone found in Switzerland), is a landscape in miniature − a tight circle of perfect form. It is an object of quiet contemplation but also has a story of its own, as its title suggests.