Landscapes have power over us. Just when you thought you’ve seen virtually all the beach sunsets, rolling hills, and empty plains there are to see, you come across one more scene that makes you stop in your tracks and contemplate your place in the world.
In art, a landscape is a depiction of the natural world, including the physical environment and its features such as mountains, rivers, trees, and other natural elements. Landscapes in art can take many forms, including painting, photography, and sculpture. Typically, landscape art is intended to capture the beauty and complexity of the natural world, and to evoke a sense of wonder and awe in the viewer.
Landscape depictions can be realistic or abstract and can be used to convey a wide range of emotions and ideas. In this post, we will explore how landscapes in both modern and contemporary art, draw us in through nostalgia, identity, mental states, political strive, a connection to nature, and ultimately a connection to deeper timeless reality.
The Nostalgia of Landscapes Related to Time
Landscapes have the power to evoke a sense of nostalgia for times and places that no longer exist. Through their representation of nature and the built environment, landscapes can transport us to different eras, evoke memories of past experiences, and shape our sense of identity. Whether it is the picturesque countryside of a bygone era or the bustling cityscape of a lost age, landscapes have the ability to transport us to different times and connect us to our cultural heritage.
This evocation of nostalgia is particularly evident in the works of contemporary artists who draw on the past as a source of inspiration. For example, artist David Hockney’s series of landscape paintings of the countryside in England evoke a sense of nostalgia for the artist’s childhood memories of the area.
CNN, Justin Kamp, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Through his vibrant colors and bold brushstrokes, Hockney captures the spirit of the Yorkshire countryside and invites viewers to reflect on the passage of time.
Similarly, photographer William Eggleston features images of the American South in the 1980s in his body of work. Through his use of vivid colors and unconventional compositions, Eggleston captures the essence of a bygone era and invites viewers to reflect on the passage of time and the changing landscapes of America.
Overall, the nostalgia of landscapes related to time is a powerful force in contemporary art, reminding us of our connection to the past and shaping our sense of identity and place in the world.
Identity in a Landscape: Relating to Place
Our sense of self is often closely tied to the places we call home, and our relationship to the natural environment can shape our understanding of who we are. Landscape art has the power to explore these complex relationships and to help us connect with our sense of place and identity.
One way in which artists explore identity in the landscape is by examining the ways in which our sense of self is shaped by the physical environment. For example, artist Edward Hopper’s painting “Cape Cod Morning” depicts a landscape that is closely tied to his identity as an American artist. Through his use of tempered and harmonious color and light, Hopper captures the essence of the Cape Cod landscape and invites viewers to reflect on the ways in which place can shape our identity.
![Edward Hopper - Cape Cod Morning [1950]](https://i0.wp.com/live.staticflickr.com/7208/6799824380_c4e38845b9_c.jpg?resize=800%2C679&ssl=1 "The Power of Place: Why Landscapes in Art Continue to Captivate Us 2")
Contrastingly, contemporary artist Kerry James Marshall’s work often explores the ways in which African American identity is shaped by place and cultural landscapes. Marshall His painting “Better Homes Better Gardens” depicts an African American pair in a lush garden and playground setting surrounded by block apartment housing, challenging stereotypes of African Americans as urban and disconnected from nature.
Overall, exploring identity in a landscape can help us connect with our sense of place and understand the ways in which our surroundings shape who we are. Through their art, artists can challenge stereotypes and offer new perspectives on the complex relationships between identity, place, and the natural world.
A Reflection of Mental States
Landscapes have the ability to reflect not only physical environments but also emotional and psychological states. Many artists have used landscapes as a way to express their own mental states or to comment on the emotional landscapes of society as a whole.
A good example of a visual artist who uses landscape painting to express their inner mental state is the contemporary artist Zaria Forman. Forman’s hyperrealistic pastel drawings of glaciers and icebergs are both a reflection of her deep connection to nature and a response to her mother’s passing. The vast and imposing landscapes that Forman depicts serve as a metaphor for the emotional and psychological impact of loss.
Through her art, Forman invites viewers to contemplate the fragility and beauty of the natural world, and to reflect on their own experiences of grief and loss. In her series “Antarctica,” Forman draws on her own experiences traveling to the polar regions, where she witnessed firsthand the devastating effects of climate change. The stark, otherworldly landscapes she depicts suggest a sense of urgency and a need for action to preserve our planet’s natural beauty and resources.
Forman’s visually stunning and physically imposing art demonstrates the power of landscape painting to convey complex emotional and psychological states, and to invite viewers to reflect on their own relationships to the natural world. By exploring themes of loss, grief, and climate change, Forman’s work challenges us to consider the ways in which our emotional and psychological landscapes are inextricably tied to the landscapes of the natural world.
Contemporary artist Gregory Thielker also uses landscapes to explore the ways in which our internal states shape our perception of the world around us. Thielker’s series “Under the Unminding Sky” features paintings of landscapes seen through a car windshield in various weather conditions.
By depicting these ordinary scenes in a highly realistic style, Thielker invites viewers to contemplate the ways in which our emotional states can color our perceptions of the world. Through his art, Thielker encourages us to pay closer attention to our inner landscapes and how they shape our understanding of the world around us.
Lands of Political Strife
Landscape art has long been used as a way to express political and social commentary, and can serve as a powerful tool for artists to convey their views on political strife. Landscapes can be used to represent the physical environment in which political struggles take place, as well as the emotional and psychological impact of these struggles on individuals and communities.
One example of landscape art depicting political strife is the work of contemporary artist, Alfredo Jaar, who has used landscape art to draw attention to political strife and social inequality around the world. His installation “The Sound of Silence” features a large light box displaying a photograph of a lush landscape, with a small glowing light representing a refugee camp. The installation invites viewers to contemplate the stark contrast between the beauty of nature and the suffering of those affected by political strife and conflict.
Another contemporary photographer who has had a great influence on me personally, having studied under him at Oberlin College, is Pipo Nguyen-Duy. Having delved into topics of identity through photography and self-portraiture, Nguyen-Duy, in his breathtaking project, East of Eden, returns to his native home to continue working on his visual thesis, exploring a landscape that bears the physical scars of war and the people who have lived and survived its horrors.
This work was partly inspired by the artist’s own experience growing up in Vietnam with his brother, who lost his right arm while serving as a South Vietnamese soldier on the battlefield of Cambodia. The intention of East of Eden: Vietnam was to create visual documentation that serve as reminders of the horrors of war and as proof of the survivors’ strength, courage, and acceptance. The work was an attempt for the artist to come to terms with his past and offer those who are violently marked by the war the opportunity to tell their stories.
While war, displacement, famine, and occupation, unfortunately, continue to be a modern reality, landscape art can be a powerful tool for artists to engage with political issues and express their views on the world around them. By depicting the physical and emotional impact of political strife, artists can challenge viewers to reflect on their own attitudes toward social justice and change.
Connecting to Nature
Landscapes can evoke a deep sense of connection to nature, reminding us of the natural beauty and wonder of the world around us. Artist Ana Mendieta’s “Siluetas” series, which consists of photographs of the artist’s body interacting with nature, illustrates this connection through the literal merging of her body with the landscape.
Ana Mendieta was a contemporary artist who used landscape art to express a deep connection to nature and the environment. Mendieta’s work often explored the relationship between the human body and the natural world, using the landscape as a powerful metaphor for this connection.
In her series “Silueta,” Mendieta created a series of earthworks and performance pieces that used her own body to create impressions in the landscape, such as by lying down in the grass or pressing her body into the earth.
Through these works, Mendieta sought to create a sense of oneness with the natural world and explore the ways in which the body and the environment are intimately connected. Overall, Mendieta’s work demonstrates the power of landscape art to express a connection to nature and to explore the complex relationships between the human body and the natural world. By using her own body to interact with the landscape, Mendieta invites viewers to contemplate their own relationship to nature and to consider the ways in which our bodies are intimately tied to the environment.
In these hectic times of non-stop sensory overload, we go walking, hiking or simply outside to find ourselves again. We try to find some method of reclaiming our inner selves, of rediscovering our kinship with nature and the landscape surrounding us as well as the season and its rhythm. Regardless of whether we love the sea, the mountains or simply the place were we feel at home, we want to simultaneously liberate and heal ourselves by somehow synching with nature. That is a gift that landscape painting should give us – or at least remind us of.
Dr. Susann Buhl -Kunsthistorikerin
Connecting to something larger than our daily life
Finally, landscape art has the power to transport us beyond our daily lives and connect us with something larger than ourselves. Through their depictions of vast and awe-inspiring landscapes, artists can invite us to contemplate the majesty and beauty of the natural world and to reflect on our place within it.
One artist who exemplifies this approach is Ansel Adams, whose landscape photography captures the sublime reality of the American West. Through his use of dramatic lighting, stark contrasts, and sweeping vistas, Adams creates images that invite us to contemplate the beauty and complexity of the natural world.
In particular, Adams’s photographs of the National Parks of the American West capture the majesty of the park’s mountainous landscapes, valleys, and waterfalls, and invite viewers to contemplate the grandeur of nature. His image “Canyon de Chelly” depicts one of several desert landscapes that are simultaneously awe-inspiring and peaceful, conveying a sense of the majesty and power of the natural world.
Overall, Adams’s work illustrates the power of landscape art to connect us with something larger than ourselves and to invite us to contemplate the beauty and complexity of the natural world. By capturing the majesty and grandeur of the American West, Adams’s photographs invite us to reflect on our place within the landscape and to appreciate the vastness and beauty of the world around us.
Conclusion
In conclusion, landscapes have the power to captivate us, transporting us to different times and places and evoking a range of emotions and ideas. They can connect us to our cultural heritage, shape our sense of identity, reflect our mental states, and convey political commentary.
Through art, landscapes can be depicted in many forms, including painting, photography, and sculpture, and can take on a realistic or abstract style. Ultimately, landscape art invites us to connect with something larger than our daily lives, inviting us to contemplate the majesty and complexity of the natural world.
Artists such as Ansel Adams, Kerry James Marshall, and Ana Mendieta have demonstrated the power of landscapes to inspire us, connect us to nature, and invite us to reflect on our place within the world. As we continue to explore the themes and ideas of landscape art, we are reminded of our deep connection to the natural world and the importance of preserving its beauty and resources for future generations.
