Andy Goldsworthy’s Wood Line (2011) is made from eucalyptus branches laid out in a sloping, sinuous curve through a standing eucalyptus grove near Lovers’ Lane, the Presidio’s oldest footpath. Like the artist’s earlier Spire, the work responds and adds to the layers of human history in this forest, which was planted in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Goldsworthy has described the movement of the piece through the landscape as “drawing the place.”
Installation of the sculpture required a delicate touch, sited as it is directly underneath a section of the Presidio’s federally designated historic forest. In order not to disturb the trunks or root systems of the venerable, towering eucalyptus trees that surround the path, the logs were transported and placed using the utmost care.
Goldsworthy continued his work in the Presidio with Tree Fall (2013).
- Video: Wood Line
- Installation Views
Andy Goldsworthy, Wood Line, 2011; photo: Brian Vahey
Andy Goldsworthy, Wood Line, 2011; photo: Monique Deschaines
Andy Goldsworthy, Wood Line, 2011; photo: Monique Deschaines
Andy Goldsworthy, Wood Line, 2011; photo: Monique Deschaines
Andy Goldsworthy, Wood Line, 2011; photo: Brian Vahey
Andy Goldsworthy, Wood Line, 2011; photo: Monique Deschaines
Andy Goldsworthy, Wood Line, 2011; photo: Monique Deschaines - In the Press
Andy Goldsworthy creates ephemeral sculptures and permanent installations using natural materials such as stones, clay, and leaves to draw out the inherent character of a site. His works have been exhibited and collected by important international institutions, including Storm King Art Center, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, and the Tate.