Bluestone Circle

Ninety-six pieces of stone of different sizes lie on their smoothest side, randomly, but evenly distributed on the ground, without touching. Together, the pale blue-grey Dolomite stones form an open circle with a diameter of 4.86 meters. The English artist Richard Long describes the concept of this work in an accompanying illustrated document, in which he stresses that ‘N.B. This drawing shows procedure only, and cannot be “copied”. ‘ Long has created similar poetic works outside of the museum context, on walks, usually through remote areas, using pieces of wood and stones that he finds locally. These are subtle interventions that incorporate the landscape and, in a broader sense, nature into the concept of art. In these cases, photographic documentation forms the final work of art. The 1970s were marked by all kinds of pioneering artistic trends, such as Land Art and Conceptual Art, in which the traditional studio was abandoned and non-traditional materials were used. Long’s work embodies many of these elements. Although his work implies a new approach to sculpture, it is also a continuation of the tradition of the English landscape.