Panel: Posing and Composing Selves
Copanelists: Jane Chin Davidson and Barbara Zabel
Though he has not created an autobiography per se, the life of Andy Goldsworthy can be found in the dialogue between his writing, his interviews, and his art; as he puts it, “Art is not a career—it’s a life.” His focus as a sculptor is on the transitory and mutable, and on the documentation of change over time; these traits also serve as the lens through which Goldsworthy (directly and indirectly) examines his own life, and offers it for the scrutiny of others. This paper will explore the ways in which Goldsworthy’s art (his earthworks, temporary installations and more permanent pieces, and books), as well as the views of others (a documentary, interviews, and articles), come together to create a detailed narrative of a brilliant contemporary artist.
Maile Gresham is a PhD student in the Department of English at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, and conference coordinator of IABA 2008.