Adam Clarke's article described the ever-widening gap between humans and nature and the efforts of different artists to try and bridge that gap. Through a process known as "Passive Collaboration," artists such as Andy Goldsworthy and Giuseppe Penone literally collaborate with nature to create works that embrace natural processes. These works are impermanent and do not alter the natural landscape in any way; they exist in harmony with their surroundings.
Clarke mentions land art- a movement started in the 60's and 70's. Early land art didn't necessarily embody the idea of passive collaboration however, and artists such as Robert Smithson contributed to the tarnishing of this ideal. While passive collaboration was an effort to move away from egoism and the idea of art as a commodity and return to the basics, this did not always happen.
Andy Goldsworthy, a notable land artist, is also mentioned- his intentions somewhat opposite of Smithson's. He temporarily manipulates aspects of nature to create impressive, painstaking works that leave no permanent trace on the landscape. Goldsworthy seeks to work with the cycles of nature and changes of state; one can think of the life cycle of a tree- change, decay, regeneration. Like nature's changes, Goldsworthy's work is silent, thought-provoking and steady. His pieces require an innate connection and attentiveness with and to his surroundings. Passive collaboration is necessary to understand, appreciate, and preserve the ever-changing natural world.
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