Trench edged with grass stalks

Here Goldsworthy used grass stalks found at Brough, Cumbria, to edge a trench. He then photographed the process, the finished work and its decay a week later, eroded by wind and rain.

Trench Edged with Grass Stalks 6th November 1981 photographic print by Andy Goldsworthy (1956-).

Goldsworthy edged the trench with grass stalks he found at the location in Brough, Cumbria and then photographed the process, finished work and its decay one week later, eroded by wind and rain.

This work was commissioned for the Presences of Nature exhibition at Tullie House in 1981. Goldsworthy has an international reputation. He trained at Bradford College 1974-74 and Preston Polytechnic 1975-78 and has lived in Dumfries and Galloway since 1985. Goldsworthy makes most of his work in the open air both in the UK and internationally. He uses materials he finds at the location such as twigs, leaves, stones, snow and ice. Much of his work has a sense of place. Most of his work is ephemeral but he also makes some permanent structures. The works are recorded as photographs and often published in book form.

There are these inscriptions on the exhibit:

  • Trench, about 2 paces in length - cold damp earth - edged with grass stalks. Brough 6th Nov '81. Revisited and photographed one week later - eroded by wind and rain.

Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery collection, purchased from the artist with the generous assistance of the MLA/V&A Purchase Grant Fund 1981

Image © Andy Goldsworthy

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