Whitechapel Slate Circle 1981

Richard Long made this "Whitechapel Slate Circle" using pieces of slate, arranged in a large circle. The material is essential here. Slate, a metamorphic rock, embodies both geological time and human intervention, and the use of slate connects the artwork to traditions of craftsmanship, and the labor-intensive processes of quarrying and shaping stone. Look closely, and you'll see each piece has a unique shape and texture, evidence of its natural origin. The individual pieces of slate are placed in a deliberate circular pattern. This arrangement is deceptively simple; the circle symbolizes both wholeness and the cyclical nature of time. Long's work invites us to consider the relationship between nature and culture, between the raw materials of the earth and the artist's hand. It is a reminder that even the simplest of forms can carry profound meaning. It prompts a rethinking of the boundaries between art and craft.