Washington Diary 2003

Editor: This is Andy Goldsworthy’s “Washington Diary,” created in 2003. It combines photography, text, and what looks like paper or textile. It’s an unusual mix, making it difficult to grasp initially. What catches your eye about this piece? Curator: The combination is striking, isn't it? To me, the real interest lies in the act of making. Look at how Goldsworthy combines ephemeral, natural materials documented through photography with the written word on, seemingly, handmade paper. How does the act of combining these mediums inform your interpretation? Editor: Well, it makes me think about the labor involved. Writing all that text by hand... and finding these specific natural settings? It suggests a deliberate, time-consuming process. Curator: Precisely. Consider the means of production: the physical act of handwriting, the gathering of natural materials, even the capturing of the photograph itself. All speak to the artist's physical engagement with the landscape and the passage of time. Goldsworthy blurs boundaries here. What's traditionally considered craft – working directly with materials – blends with conceptual art. Do you think this challenges our understanding of 'art' and its making? Editor: Definitely. It elevates the physical process to be as important as the final image or text. The value comes from the labor. So would you say it is almost a protest against mass production? Curator: Exactly. It's a counterpoint to industrialized art production, focusing instead on individual action and a localized environment. He’s making it evident where this piece originated from: his own labor and the setting itself. Editor: That’s a perspective I hadn’t considered fully. Thinking about the materiality and labor makes it a far more profound piece. Curator: Absolutely! By examining the production, it forces us to question what we consume and the value we place on labor.