The New Earthwork

For more than 40 years, sculptors have been at the forefront of environmental and ecological/social innovation, making works that treat the earth as creative partner rather than resource and raw material. The new earthwork, which is currently at the leading edge of sculptural practice, means art for the future of humanity and the planet; it means a new approach to aesthetics and the role of art in our lives; it means a sustainable and vital artistic practice that not only solves problems but dares to ask questions and seek answers across disciplinary boundaries. Working in the land to solve agricultural, habitat, and water problems; using new materials and technologies; employing, and sometimes generating, alternative energy sources; taking action and educating about recycling, frontier biology, and genetic engineering, these artists demonstrate how art can open people's eyes, drive change, and envision more than one possible future.