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MANILA, Philippines - Who is this British sculptor, photographer and painter, one of the best-known land artists in the world? He made his international reputation during the 1970s with sculptures made as the result of epic walks, these take him through rural and remote areas in Britain, or as far afield as the plains of Canada, Mongolia and Bolivia.
The artist was born in Bristol in 1945. He studied at the West of England College of Art, Bristol (1962-66) and at St Martin’s School of Art, London (1966-68).
As early as 1994, he made his first work involving landscape, which had developed by 1967 towards using distance, in the form of long walks, and space — the open air, aspects of the landscape with his subtle intervention. The element of time became important as he made sculptures by walking, hitchhiking or bicycling on a predetermined route, which might be described as a line or circle on a map. The records of these walks exist as maps, photographs and short, descriptive texts. He has traveled the world making his work, in the Americas, Europe, Africa, Nepal, Australia and Japan a solitary occupation, on occasions involving great hardship and discomfort.
The artist never makes significant alterations to the landscapes he passes through. Instead he marks the ground or adjusts the natural features of a place by up-ending stones for example, or making simple traces. He usually works in the landscape but sometimes uses natural materials in the gallery. Different modes of presentation, sometimes combined, were used to bring his experience of nature back into the museum or gallery.
From 1981 he also alluded to the terms of painting by applying mud in a very liquid state by hand to a wall in similar configurations, establishing a dialogue between the primal gesture of the handprint and the formal elegance of its display. He stressed that the meaning of his work lay in the visibility of his actions rather than in the representation of a particular landscape. Nearly 40 years on, his work continues the dialectic between working freely and ephemerally wherever in the wide world, and bringing it back into the public domain of art spaces and books in the form of sculptures of raw materials such as stones, mud and water and photographic and text works.
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Last week’s question: Who is the American chef who is known for transforming traditional American food into superbly updated fare, and in his 25-year career has been recognized as one of America’s great chefs?
Answer: Bradley Ogden
Winner: Criselda Quiambao of Pasig City
Text your answer to 0917-9498721 with your name and address. One winner will be chosen through a raffle of texts with the correct answer. The winner will receive P2,000 worth of SM gift certificates for use at Our Home, SM Department Store, or SM Supermarket. They can claim their prize at Our Home in SM Megamall. Call the store manager at 634-1950, 634-1943. Bring photocopies of two valid IDs and a clipping of the Design Quiz issue in which you appear as winner.
