SCHOOL OF PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE - DELHI
ART IN LANDSCAPE DISSERTATION – November 2017 LEKSHMI LOHITHAN SPA/NS/LA/584
DEPARTMENT OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
LIST OF FIGURES
Fig. 1 Bheembetka Caves Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bheem_Baithika_Caves_Paintings_(11).jpg
Fig. 2 ‘Wheat Field with Cypresses’ (1889) by Vincent Van Gogh Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheat_Field_with_Cypresses
Fig. 3 Desert backdrop Source: http://www.tropicalisland.de/united_arab_emirates/dubai/hatta_highway/pages/DXB%20Dubai%20%20desert%20scenery%20on%20the%20highway%20between%20Dubai%20and%20Hatta%2001%205340x3 400.html
Fig. 4 Artists’ perception of the Hanging Gardens of Babylonia Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/gardeningpicturegalleries/10254392/Beautiful-legendarygardens-in-pictures.html?frame=2648446
Fig. 5 Pyramids of Giza Source: http://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/the-egyptian-pyramids
Fig. 6 City Plan of Barcelona Source: https://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photo-barcelona-plan-image24043135
Fig. 7 Aerial view of Alaska Delta Source: https://in.pinterest.com/pin/207024914091055911/?lp=true
Fig. 8 Garden Art - Château de Villandry (1536) Source: http://loire-chateaux.co.uk/en-gb/chateaux/villandry/chateau-and-gardens-villandry
Fig. 9 Central Park, New York Source: https://www.thepinnaclelist.com/pics/best-aerial-photo-central-park-new-york-city/
Fig. 10 Rio Olympic Park Source: http://www.businessinsider.in/The-Designs-For-The-2016-Olympic-Park-In-Rio-De-Janeiro-LookSpectacular/articleshow/22669176.cms
Fig. 11 Street Art in Melun, France Source: https://in.pinterest.com/Vanrelle/shaka-street-art/
Fig. 12 The Lightning Field, New Mexico Source: https://in.pinterest.com/pin/257760778650969689/?lp=true
Fig. 13 The Donnel Garden Sculpture in California
Source: http://www.eichlernetwork.com/article/modern-water-features
Fig. 14 Mt.Rushmore National Memorial in USA Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Rushmore
Fig. 15 Shakthi Sthal Source: http://rbasd198.wixsite.com/ravindrabhan/shakti-sathal
Fig. 16 <Photograph> Source:
Fig. 17 Di-Octo by Antony Howe Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvgyHLAxgDc
Fig. 18 Auroville WindChimes Source: https://maggiecraig.wordpress.com/the-ecovoyage/pictures/
Fig. 19 The Van Gogh-Roosegaarde bicycle path in Netherlands Source: https://www.heijmans.nl/en/news/opening-van-gogh-roosegaarde-cycle-path/
Fig. 20 ‘Art Eggcident’, a street art in Netherland by artist Henk Hofstra Source: http://www.woostercollective.com/post/henk-hofstras-art-eggcident-in-leeuwarden
Fig. 21 A graffiti art in Lodhi Garden, Delhi Source: http://www.cosmopolitan.in/life/news/a5514/these-pictures-of-the-stunning-art-in-lodhi-colony-showyou-how-beautiful-delhi-is/
Fig. 22 A graffiti art in Lodhi Colony, Delhi Source: https://streetartnews.net/2016/02/start-india-borondo-in-lodhi-colony-new-delhi.html
Fig. 23 Project Arteria in Trivandrum Source: http://entecity.com/news/project-arteria-to-turn-trivandrum-citys-walls-into-one-long-canvas/
Fig. 24 A graffiti in Connaught Place, Delhi Source:
Fig. 25 Mural Painting in SPA Source:
Fig. 26 Wall painting of Mahatma Gandhi in Police HQ, Delhi Source:
Fig. 27 Tulip Gardens in Holland Source: http://blog.discoverfrance.com/tulip-fields-netherlands/
Fig. 28 Belgium flower carpet on the city square. Source: http://www.flowercarpet.be/en
Fig. 29 Chandni Chowk Source: https://magicpin.in/blog/chandni-chowk-delhi-shopping-hub/
Fig. 30 Sculptures in display in Indian Habitat Centre – Jacaranda Source: http://www.venuelook.com/Delhi/Casuarina-of-India-Habitat-Centre-in-Lodhi-Road
Fig. 31 I Amsterdam Source: https://ar.pinterest.com/explore/i-am-amsterdam/
Fig. 32 Whatami in Rome, Itlay Source: https://www.archdaily.com/146875/whatami-at-maxxi-starrt
Fig. 33 Arne Quinze sculpture for the Flemish parliament in Brussels Source: http://architectura.me/post/49665302171/premiumdigit-brussel
TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT............................................................................................................................... 5 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 6 HUMAN SPATIAL ORDER ................................................................................................ 6 LANDSCAPE AS TOOL TO CREATE ART ...................................................................... 6 2. ART – AS A LANGUAGE IN LANDSCAPE...................................................................... 8 THE PERCEPTION OF ART IN LANDSCAPE.................................................................. 8 PATTERN IN LANDSCAPE: PLANNED VS NATURAL ............................................... 10 3. NEED FOR RISE OF ART FORMS ................................................................................... 11 ART AND LANDSCAPE DESIGN .................................................................................... 12 LANDSCAPE URBANISM ................................................................................................ 13 4. URBAN ART FORMS ........................................................................................................ 14 5. ART ABSTRACTIONS ...................................................................................................... 15 ROMANTIC PRIMITIVISM .............................................................................................. 15 SPACE AS SCULPTURE ................................................................................................... 16 SIGNS OF REMEMBERANCE ......................................................................................... 17 CULTIVATING DISCONTINUITY .................................................................................. 19 MOBILITY .......................................................................................................................... 19 ILLUMINATING SPACES................................................................................................. 21 STREET ART CULTURE .................................................................................................. 22 VANDALISM: GRAFFITI ............................................................................................. 23 ART IN TRANSIENCE ...................................................................................................... 27 USE OF HORTICULTURE ............................................................................................ 27 6. CONCLUSION .................................................................................................................... 30 MEDIUM OF EXPRESSION.......................................................................................... 30 IMPRESSION OF A CITY ............................................................................................. 30 AESTHETIC APPEAL .................................................................................................... 31 HEALING ENVIRONMENT ......................................................................................... 32 BIBLIOGRAPHY .................................................................................................................... 33
ABSTRACT Man, fascinated by the art of Nature in its pure form, started mimicking the lines and formed an order of his own nature, expressing himself. The picture painted in each landscape varied with the perception what each society had believed in, expressed as a result from their utmost thought, belief and principles, symbolising their lifestyle and of course, the region. Civilizations started to develop in favour of functional, sociological and ecological considerations over time. Thus, a pattern emerged out of these interventions. These, being an incidental art rather than an induced art just like the existing natural patterns on the unrefined landscapes. Post industrialization, saw the rise of new reforms and a need for increased quality of living. The need for public places rose more than over and public spaces became an essential landmark. This marked the rise of Urban Art forms in the modern society. The concept of landscape urbanism emerged stating that the best way to organize cities is through the design of the city’s landscape, rather than the design of its buildings. And, art became a tool to celebrate the space and unify the city. Urban art can be either stationary or transient. There is no one particular aim or function to be looked after. Art can either be aesthetic or, functional and aesthetic. This paper talks about the various art abstractions used in Urban Art citing few examples and the meaning it brings out in a broader concept and how it shapes the society.
1. INTRODUCTION Nature is a piece of art. Landscape in nature, is art in art. An art enhanced by its geometry, colour and its ever growing transient nature - a visual delight. Art exists as a pattern in nature but also, can be induced and enhanced upon. Man fascinated by the power of nature started expressing his own elements of art starting from cave art. Predominance of nature over time was overpowered by mans’ desire to express himself. Architecture became a piece of art work with in landscape. The introduction of elements of art in such a nature was intended to be either functional or aesthetic or both. With the needs and evolution of a society, public spaces evolved and art in public spaces gradually developed. Art of public spaces usually means works on sites with open public access. And, art makes a space, truly innovative and interactive. It may be interesting and profitable to focus for a time upon the purely artistic aspects of any subject, as one would say, ‘Art for art’s sake’; but if we would be sane and wise our real concern is with the art for the sake of men and women and children, art as but one of the elements in wholesome, full and happy lives. (Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr)
HUMAN SPATIAL ORDER
Human, being an immediate part of the environment, participates in the shaping of landscapes’ physiognomy with the rest of the natural factors. The nature creates landscapes of a specific structure. Human creates cultural landscapes by imitating those structures through exploiting natural resources. In this particular process he learns to use landscape forms, rhythm, colours, proportion etc. that he has been observing in the nature. However those forms are already transformed in relation to the original, subjected to each of its own individual interpretation. Perception is a complex and individualized process in which the environment, observer and observation (result) are related. (Richling, Solon, 2002)
LANDSCAPE AS TOOL TO CREATE ART
Landscape has long been studied in various ways and under various appearances by geologists, social and cultural geographers, planners, ecologists, historians and art historians, archaeologists and anthropologists. Landscape form the basis for much poetry and innumerable novels and are thus of interest to literary critics. The first lines of organised environment can be traced along the landscape – lines of terraces, limits of cultivation or traces of building (The Landscape of Ideas). Each line has a dedicated
meaning, expressed as a result from man’s utmost thought, his belief and principles, symbolising his lifestyle and of course, keeping in mind the requirements of that particular region. He strives to express himself as an art in taming his surroundings, enhancing its aesthetic requirements and obtaining a greater order for satisfying his needs.
The evolution of this thought process can be seen throughout history. Right from the cave art by Neanderthals to the fine kinetic sculptures made today, expresses a story of the particular time period, a story to express oneself better.
Fig.1: The rock paintings in Bheembetka Caves, Bhopal a World Heritage Site, formed 30000 years ago during the Stone Age
2. ART – AS A LANGUAGE IN LANDSCAPE While the scientific approach to understanding nature provides the backdrop for harnessing nature as a source of raw materials, man is driven by his romantic conception of nature to seek untouched natural beauty. In the course of history, nature has become an integrative concept of ever-increasing thematic diversity. However, the intrinsic conflicting thoughts have still today not been resolved, but continue to coexist. Within this framework of our pluralistic society, and against the complex historical background, every individual has developed his own personal conception of Nature.
Fig. 2 Displays the famous landscape painting ‘Wheat Field with Cypresses’ (1889) by Vincent Van Gogh
THE PERCEPTION OF ART IN LANDSCAPE For example, let us consider the case of two gardens of at a roughly similar time period with a similar backdrop in Fig. 3 Desert backdrop
The idea of the ‘divine gardens’ was a perception of the heaven each community/society desired to be in. Rich in flora and fauna, as perceived by the Babylonians in the mythical Hanging Gardens is a symbolism of their desire to be in, in contrast to their desert land surrounding their kingdom. A similar concept to the one observed in the Persian Architecture as well as in the Mughals, who were influenced by similar ideologies.
Fig. 4 Artists’ perception of the Hanging Gardens of Babylonia
Meanwhile, the theocratic society of Egyptian Civilization chose to build massive scale structures as a symbolism of showcasing their power, their belief in their religion and their philosophy of afterlife on a similar desertscape. Art here was incidental and consequential. This conception of nature, is still not static, but changes depending on the form of influence exercised by society.
Fig. 5 Pyramids of Giza
A progressive definition of Nature could perhaps be described as one based on a moral philosophy which accepts heterogeneity, values diversity, permits sensuousness, respects differences and is able to come to terms with discontinuity. (Weilacher, Udo, 1999)
PATTERN IN LANDSCAPE: PLANNED VS NATURAL
Art intended in a design is different from art perceived by a design. Consider the Fig.6. The patterns in the design respond to its spatial environment and the immediate surroundings. It was not intended for a particular pattern as the priority but resulted as an aftermath of all the planned interventions. And consider Fig.7, a place without any human intervention. Thus, art being incidental and consequential here rather than intended upon.
Fig. 6 City Plan of Barcelona
Fig. 7 Aerial view of Alaska Delta
3. NEED FOR RISE OF ART FORMS Landscape architecture can be defined as the shaping and design of outdoor and public spaces striving to achieve aesthetic, environmental and socio-behavioural balance. It means applying artistic and scientific principles to the research, planning, design and management of both ‘natural’ and built environments. Landscape architecture is a mode to search for modern form of expression. Garden Art was once respected as one of the most important and influential art forms. It has nearly been a century since the pre-eminence of aesthetic quality in landscape architecture was abandoned in favour of functional, sociological and ecological considerations. Post industrialization, however, there was rise of movements in art as well as technology which led to the thirst to express and discover new things and strive for a better standard of living and knitting up a universal socialistic society. Neither the constant unreflective repetition of the classical vocabulary of the French Baroque garden or the English Landscape Garden nor the retreat to the purely functional means of expression of landscaping can be accepted as a contemporary form of dialogue between man and nature. The stretch for a way out of this crisis and the increasing rejection of a purely technologically-driven approach to nature has led to increasing reinstatement of art as a unique tool of non-verbal communication. (Weilacher, Udo, 1999)
Fig. 8 Garden Art - Château de Villandry (1536)
Fig. 9 Central Park, New York – The benchmark of real estate value.
It is quite common of people to think about landscape in a rather limited way, the majority begins to talk about forests, waterfalls, the prairie and other environments that tend to have a note of pristine nature in them. If one asks them what about the cityscape, they come up with parks, waterfronts and plazas. The work of landscape architects is to remind them that landscape includes all spaces that are to be found outside buildings, this means sidewalks, parking lots, al-leys, highways, utility corridors etc. Landscape means our whole environment, everything that surrounds us, including representations of places and things that we can imagine (Schwartz in Richardson, 2004: 127). Land Art in particular attempts ‘to win back nature as space which allows sensory perception, space in which a relationship between map and the environment becomes at all possible again’ to develop as a new language in the landscape. As Martha Schwartz argues, by just marching along and doing what everybody expects us to do, we will never bring anything of interest and value into the world. “This profession is on the verge of another transformation, which will be leveraged through the efforts of the new landscape artists. I know that collectively we are changing the way people see and use the landscape, and how we learn to live in balance with our natural environment. Ultimately, it has to be an environment that we humans cherish, respect and can thrive in, while wishing to have a life of purpose and meaning. Our need for meaning, truth and beauty are fundamental requirements that many of our landscapes must fulfil.” (Martha Schwartz in Richardson, 2008: 8)
ART AND LANDSCAPE DESIGN
Art and especially landscape art will be indispensable as a language in the search of for a new interpretation of landscape. Provided the landscape artists achieve a critical view of their own traditional conception of landscape art’s role and purpose and get involved in the typical changes, which takes place in nature with the passing of time, they will be capable of contributing to the changed understanding of cultural landscape .(Herman Prigann and Peter Latz) There are no rules for exploring the area where art and landscape design meet. Instead, both art in landscape and landscape design have developed a series of very different interdisciplinary approaches. The diverse ideas in landscape design are not only influenced by the attitude of the individual protagonist but also by the cultural and landscape ambience of the particular project. An idea of art is to celebrate the space. There is an intensive creative dialogue with nature in the form of landscape or garden, not treating them in the traditional manner as an aesthetic background a work of art, but as independent and sometimes even as an sculptural space of perception and experience. (Weilacher, Udo, 1999)
LANDSCAPE URBANISM
From the late 1990s, the phase ‘landscape urbanism’ was used by landscape architects in the United States to refer to the reorganization of declining post-industrial cities. From the 2000s, it was used in Europe by architects to mean a highly flexible way of integrating large-scale infrastructure, housing and open space. By the late 2000s, the phrase became associated with highly commercialized, multi-phase urban parks such as Olympic Park Design. Landscape Urbanism is a theory of urban planning arguing that the best way to organize cities is through the design of the city’s landscape, rather than the design of its buildings.
Fig. 10 Rio Olympic Park
4. URBAN ART FORMS Urban Art by definition is a style of art that relates to cities and city life often done by artists who live in or have a passion for city life. Although urban art started at the neighborhood level, where a lot of people of different cultures live together, it is an international art form with an unlimited number of uses nowadays. From a time period, where there were pockets of communities and kingdoms with a particular style of architecture and landscape architecture adherent to their particular religion or philosophies, we have moved on to a much larger society with a universal value of connecting the whole world creating barrier free designs appropriate to our particular environment. The concept of ‘Urban Art’ developed from street art which is primarily concerned with graffiti culture. Urban art represents a broader cross-section of artists that, in addition to covering traditional street artists working in formal gallery spaces, also cover artists using more traditional media but with a subject matter that deals with contemporary urban culture and political issues. And these art forms are enhanced by the use of certain abstractions.
Fig. 11 Street Art in Melun, France.
5. ART ABSTRACTIONS Works of art have the power to take us on a journey; they may intrigue our thoughts and stimulate our imagination. They can make us feel like we entered a new dimension and provide insight into another world, time, place or way of thinking. This notion is especially strong when speaking about land art or landscape architecture, because these works will never come to a nearby museum, they need to be seen and experienced on site, individually and not massively or one after the other, like in a gallery for example, where you need to concentrate on hundreds of artworks in a single day. Another particularity is that these artworks are exposed to everyone, not only to certain groups of people that are interested in art and culture; they are encountered by very diverse publics, who often have no contact with art in galleries and museums (Miles, 1997: 14). Art in Public can be transient or stationary in nature. There is no one particular aim or function to be looked after. Art can either be aesthetic or, functional and aesthetic. But the ultimate aim remains to celebrate the space. Cited below are few expressions with few examples to explain these that are seen commonly in urban landscapes:
ROMANTIC PRIMITIVISM
Romantic perception of nature at the end of the eighteenth century was strongly influenced by the subjective, emotional conception and interpretation of natural phenomena, which often the Romantic often saw as reflection of his own inner nature, his desires, his feelings and his needs. Particularly in the face of menacing elemental forces, man experienced a heightened aesthetic awareness which was described as sublimity. [Sublime – Uplifted or exalted] One of the most impressive expressions of a sublime experience of nature with a romantic element is THE LIGHTNING FIELD, perceived by de Maria in 1977 on a remote, 2200metre/6500’ high plateau in the western part of New Mexico. (400 stainless-steel poles form a rectangular grid in an area measuring 5280’ x 3300’. The tips of the poles, which have a diameter of approximately 2’’, form an imaginary, perfectly horizontal plane at a height of approximately 20’ above the ground.) A semi-arid, flat basin, bounded to the west by a chain of mountains and known for its frequent storms, gives the work its landscape context, without which this classic piece of art would be no more than an elaborate piece of engineering. Although the project is based on a rational structure, it expresses a heightened romantic perception of nature. Even without the breathtaking spectacle of a thunderstorm, The Lightning Field still remains impressive.
Fig. 12 The Lightning Field, New Mexico
SPACE AS SCULPTURE
What is a sculpture? Sculpture is an opposition, a body, a tension. Sculpture suggests no ideal angle of observation for the viewer. Sculpture is movement. Sculpture is spatial, even if intangible and it exists through the relation, we as observers are able to establish. The field of sculpture is potentially most open and broad. Sculpture is material and reflects material in combination with other possible materials and space itself. Space is order and context. Space is location. Sculpture connects with its environment, with the present and with society. Sculpture is presence and provokes immediate perception and experience. The consequences of these processes constantly demand to be questioned and debated anew. Sculpture wants to be generated by us. It needs us, our time, our imagination as well as our doubt in the use of the existent materials. Sculpture burns and space extinguishes. (Prof. Hans Schabus) Sculpture in a place not only defines the place, but also gives a chance to revive the old crafts of workmanship and provides ample job opportunities too.
Fig. 13 The Donnel Garden Sculpture in California (a private residence) is a classic example of simple abstraction of thoughts. A boulder would hurt people in a pool, so Kent designed a sculpture which would look like a boulder and would have a hole through it and people could climb up on it or swim through it like a mountain lake which goes in ideal with the site location.
SIGNS OF REMEMBERANCE
Landscape with the help of art gives a peak into the past by using assets such as sculptures or carving out spaces as a tribute or to remember an event or to honour the place. This marks the importance of the location as well as gives a chance to revive old traditions, art and workmanship. Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a sculpture carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore, a batholith in the Black Hills in Keystone, South Dakota, United States. South Dakota historian Doane Robinson is credited with conceiving the idea of carving the likenesses of famous people into the Black Hills region of South Dakota in order to promote tourism in the region. Mount Rushmore has become an iconic symbol of the United States, and it has appeared in works of fiction, as well as being discussed or depicted in other popular works. It attracts over two million visitors annually.
Fig. 14 Mt.Rushmore National Memorial in USA.
The Architects wanted the Shakti Sthal to be more than just another Samadhi – something unique and unusual. So they thought of having an imposing rock symbolizing the strength and power of Mrs. Gandhi’s personality. To make a visit to the Shakti Sthala an educative experience, it was decided to place rocks, representing the major rock foundation, all over the area. It was planned to place 500 such rocks ranging from the oldest rock formations to the youngest, in chronological order.
Fig. 15 Shakthi Sthal
Perhaps, the essential soul missing in an iconic place like Raj Ghat by default is the absence of art. A contradictory argument one can make with Shakti Sthal, which shows up with these iconic statements of obelisks and stones and rock cuts from all over the country, giving an inner meaning to unify the park and giving the importance it should be given to. The careful use of resources, describe the particular place.
CULTIVATING DISCONTINUITY
Most landscape architects cling to historical models, reproduce artistic patterns, develop conspicuous design graphics or get caught up in superficial, formalistic approaches to design, constantly in search of a style to make into their own recognizable trademark. The design entered in the competition to enlarge the Gunthersburg Park in Frankfurt am Main is an excellent example of what ‘cultivating of discontinuity’ means in actual practice. The relocation of the municipal nurseries at the end of the eighties gave rise to the possibility of enlarging the old Gunthersburg Park, a much over-used landscape park dating from the last century, to create an area twice the size of the existing park and develop it into a link between the inner city and Frankfurt’s future green belt. Whereas the historical part entirely rejected the city, acting like a green oasis in urban chaos, the new part of the park wants to live with the city and all its contradictions and dispenses with any kind of structural separation from the adjoining built up areas. The new part of the park assimilates existing elements and structures and develops them into a new design language of contemporary individuality. Picturesque groups of trees in the historical part crystallize into clear tree structures, some linear, some two-dimensional. Winding paths in the new part becomes linear lines of motion, underlining the spatial experience, instead of defining space themselves. Topiaries, reminiscent of fabulous creatures, populate the entrance area to the park and are a reference to earlier garden art traditions. A large open expanse of grass lies at the centre of the new park, the focal point of the clearly designed framework waiting for the city’s inhabitants to fill it with life. Despite the clear linking of the historical park with its new counterpart, the discontinuity remains tangible.
MOBILITY
Kinetic art is an art that depends on movement for its effects. It has its origins in the Dadaist and Constructivist movements that emerged in the 1910s. At its heart were artists who were fascinated by the possibilities of movement in art - its potential to create new and more interactive relationships with the viewer and new visual experiences, it inspired new kinds of art that went beyond the boundaries of the traditional, handcrafted, static object, encouraging the idea that the beauty of an object could be the product of optical illusions or mechanical
movement. But the group was split between those such as Jean Tinguely, who were interested in employing actual movement, and those such as Victor Vasarely, who were interested in optical effects and the illusion of movement and went on to be more closely associated with the Op art movement. Kinetic art thrived for a decade and achieved considerable prominence. But Op art proved almost too successful in capturing the public's imagination, while Kinetic art eventually began to be seen as a stale and accepted genre. By the mid-1960s, these developments led to a decline in artists' interest in movement. One fine example of this includes, artist Antony Howes’ works on gargantuan kinetic sculptures powered by wind or motors that cycle continuously through hypnotic motions that resemble something between the tentacles of an octopus and an alien spacecraft. Weighing upto 725kg, each artwork is first built digitally to test how it willmove and react to the force of wind once fabricated in the real world.
Fig. 17 Di-Octo by Antony Howe
Examples in India would include the huge wind chimes in Auroville hanging on the tree and back in our on Delhi would be the totem bells in Indian Habitat Centre.
Fig. 18 The large Auroville Wind Chimes hanging at the interpretation centre.
ILLUMINATING SPACES
The Van Gogh-Roosegaarde bicycle path in Netherlands is a fine example of one of the most innovative and artistic bicycle path in the world. The 600-metre-long path runs past the place where Vincent Van Gogh lived from 1883 to 1885. The bicycle path, designed by Daan Roosegaarde, consists of thousands of tiny, luminous stones and is inspired by the famous Van Gogh painting ‘Starry Night’.
Fig. 19 The Van Gogh-Roosegaarde bicycle path in Netherlands.
The bicycle path section has been given a new layer of asphalt, scattered with thousands of luminous stones. Innovative technology enables them to charge during the day and emit light in the evening.This bicycle path lighting is as subtle as possible to ensure minimal intrusion on the habitat of animals. To this purpose the intensity of the light giving stones has been adapted. By incorporating lighting into the bicycle path itself, additional street lighting is unnecessary. Closer back home, even the traditional methods of lighting up ‘diyas’ especially during Diwali and Dusserah time, when the whole city is lit up, is a celebration of space, even though it is not an intended art piece.
STREET ART CULTURE
Street is a transient piece of art. Ever changing with eccentric art works on display on streets for interaction or in some cases to spread awareness, are a new form of urban art.
Dutch artist Henk Hofstra had worked on an environmental art project called ‘Art Eggcident’ in Leeuwarden, a city in the north of the Netherlands. Several large eggs (each 100 feet wide) were spread on the Zaailand, one of the largest city squares in the Netherlands in 2008, temporarily for a period of 6 months.
Fig. 20 ‘Art Eggcident’, a street art in Netherland by artist Henk Hofstra
VANDALISM: GRAFFITI
One must have come across colourful and thought provoking things painted on the public walls, while passing through a dead alley, subway or any other urban city space. The vibrancy of these definitely catches the human eye, but most of the people find these spraypainted pieces a point of irritation. These were certainly considered as a nuisance in the past but today, a due recognition is being given to this art form and graffiti has secured its place as a legitimate form of contemporary art. What is Garffiti? Graffiti came into existence with the idea of representation and expression. They can be any kind of colourful mural which wraps a message within it that protests against the brutality of authorities and used to be interpreted as a sign of abuse. According to the law, the act of marking or defacing any property without proper permission is a crime. Graffiti falls under this definition stated by law and thus, is considered as vandalism. VANDALISM TO ART FORM For years, this art form has been struggling to gain its much deserved recognition and now galleries in New York and London have started showcasing the beauty of these artworks. Artists are gaining attention and now they are getting paid to paint legal murals. Recognition is still low but thanks to the inclusion in renowned galleries and auctions, Graffiti has been legitimised as an art. Looking at a painted piece on public property might look disturbing to some but one can certainly not ignore the beauty of vibrant paints on a dull wall and how the space becomes an icon or landmark of an area. It looks like someone has breathed new life into the dull and old looking walls.
Fig. 21 A graffiti art in Lodhi Gadren
LODHI COLONY, DELHI: In a bid to make art approachable to the masses, this initiative was taken by a non-profit organisation- St+art Delhi, and has managed to achieve it pretty well.The area has a total of 18 wall paintings, and pretty much each one is a masterpiece. And with their hard work, these artists have successfully transformed the Lodhi Colony area of Delhi into India’s very first open public art district. The murals aren't just drawing art lovers from across the city, but have also become popular landmarks of the area.
Fig. 22 A graffiti art in Lodhi Colony. See the play of art with the existing natural elements in the landscape.
‘The Origin of the World by Borondo. Since this wall is located opposite a maternity hospital, Borondo, in his signature abstract style, interprets the concepts of life and birth. The open arch in the middle of the wall and the tree which inhabits it are a metaphor for the origin – the source of life, while a river flows through the arches into infinity with a boat on it which reflects the journey of life.’
PROJECT ARTERIA, TRIVANDRUM : One of the largest public art projects of India, conceived by the District Tourism Promotion Council, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala has come up with its first stride. The concept of turning city walls into canvases for artistic expressions mainly aims at the beautification of the city and to spread awareness among the public about contemporary art and paintings
By re-directing the public eye to those artistic expressions, this larger canvas unfolds immense possibility for everyone to become part of a new visual culture that Thiruvananthapuram City used to lack.
Fig. 23 Project Arteria in Trivandrum
Fig. 24 Use of a graffiti in one of the corners of Connaught Place, Delhi, one of the already popular destinations in Delhi – Bringing vibrancy to the space
Fig. 25 Mural Painting in SPA, Delhi, as seen from the flyover – Living up a dead wall in an otherwise mundane journe, marking the building as well..
Fig. 26 Wall painting of Mahatma Gandhi in Police HQ, Delhi, one of the tallest buildings in the area, marking it as an icon and easy to identify as well.
ART IN TRANSIENCE
USE OF HORTICULTURE
One of the unique characters of horticulture as an agricultural discipline is that it has an aesthetic component. There are two approaches to the esthetics of horticulture: (a) Art in horticulture, the direct use of plants alone and in groups as pleasing visual objects. (b) Horticulture in art, the use of horticultural objects as a basic component of artistic expression. (Jules Janick) Art in horticulture revolves around plants as beautiful objects, individually and in mass. This concept has generated distinct disciplines such as flower arranging and the floral arts, garden design and development, and landscape design and architecture. Horticulture in art, refers to the depiction of horticultural plants in connection with various manifestations of the visual arts such as sculpture and mosaics, drawings and painting, and embroidery and tapestry. The depiction of plants is one of the great themes in artistic expression as exemplified in their widespread use in the decorative patterns in the design of innumerable objects from floor and ceiling patterns, silverware, pottery and ceramics, coins and banknotes, to heraldry. Monet, arguably the most important painter of gardens in the history of art, once said he owed his painting “to flowers�. In today’s context, these sets are not just a breath of fresh air but also an art piece meant to be appreciated and used in various forms including backdrops of cinematography.
Fig. 27 Tulip Shows in Holland - Flower Art in public gardens with the flower changing seasonally, is a popular destination to visit.
Fig. 28 Belgium flower carpet on the city square.
Flower Carpet is a biennial event in Brussels, initiated by Landscape Architect E. Stautemans in 1971, in which volunteers from around Belgium convene at the Grand Place, the historic center of the city, to weave a carpet-like tapestry out of colorful begonias, one of Belgium's major exports since 1860. The event takes place every other August and a million flowers are required to create the ephemeral 1,800 square meter carpet. This is similar to the Athapoo (Flower crapets) or Ranglois, seen back at most homes and public places in India during festival time.
PERCEPTION OF OBSERVING A SPACE - VARIATION
Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. One can find art even in chaos. The once carefully crafted Chandni Chowk is running chaos in today’s world. But for a person living in this space, it appears to be an ordered chaos in his schedule. For a visitor, coming to experience the aroma and absorb the visual spectrum of colours, Chandni Chowk is a delight to his/her sensory. But the reality remains, for one to access the place, it can be disturbing to orient oneself in this particular space.
Fig. 29 Chandni Chowk
6. CONCLUSION Public spaces have a lot to gain by including art, not only for its aesthetic values, but also because it can be a continuous source of our learning and evolving into more creative beings.
MEDIUM OF EXPRESSION
Art in Landscape can be used as a medium of expression to communicate with the masses. A medium to spread awareness, be an icon of a place, facilitate old culture and traditions and workmanships and encourage new talents.
Fig. 30 Sculptures in display in Indian Habitat Centre - Jacaranda
IMPRESSION OF A CITY
For a person entering a new city, the first visual perception of the particular area, is its landscape. One sets foot at a new place, be it from the airport, bus stop or railway station, would he/she want to witness an eyesore of garbage and a visual pollution of tasteless hoardings or a tasteful art piece welcoming one to a place? Amsterdam sets a wonderful example for that matter. A mental image clicked and preserved in your memory.
Fig. 31 Located at the back of the Rijksmuseum on Museumplein in Amsterdam, the large I amsterdam slogan quickly became a city icon and a much sought-after photo opportunity.
AESTHETIC APPEAL
What appeals to ones’ eyes would always draw the person to the particular area/object. Aesthetically enhancing an environment would gather more people to participate in a space, provides a relief to be in, exchange ideas, bring out active participation and thus, celebrate the space. Whatami is the archipelago of an imaginary sea composed of mobile islets, which can be arranged freely along the square in front of the Museum, according to the needs and the uses. Whatami is a distortion of "What am I", an industrial variation of the first puzzle invented in the eighteenth century by John Spilsbury for fun and educational purposes, which was dismantled along the geographical boundaries of land and mountain ranges.
Large artificial flowers stand out from the set to create shade during the day and lighting at night. The moving elements are objects placed on the playground. The result is a dreamlike landscape made of geographical lines that float on a solid sea of white cement, supporting large artificial flowers. The
installation provides for a dual recycling process: the natural elements are returned to their original state (straw, water, meadow); the high-tech elements are intended to be reused as fixed fixtures in other parts of the city, such as neighbouring parks or troubled Roman suburbs. Fig. 32 Whatami in Rome, Itlay
HEALING ENVIRONMENT
Landscape as an art form is more than just an aesthetic appeal. Art can heal, it can make us forget and take us to another time or place. It can stimulate our mind but at the same time bring us a sense of tranquillity. The mundane routine journeys on the busy roads can liven up a person by the visual retreat the city has to offer. In western countries, with the concept of suburban and city life marking a separate space to reside and work, commutation from suburbs to the city is a an engaging activity with a variety in change of visuals to look upon and keep your mind preoccupied.
Fig. 33 Arne Quinze sculpture for the Flemish parliament in Brussels.
BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR HARD COPY BOOKS: • • • • •
Bourassa, Steven C. (1991). The Aesthetics of Landscape. Belhaven Press. Nuttgens, Patrick. (1972). The Landscape of Ideas. Faber and Faber Limited. Weilacher, Udo. (1999). Between Landscape Architecture and Land Art. Birkhauser. Cerver, Francisco Asensio. (1995). World of Environment Design: Landscape Art. Paco Asensio. Sanyal, Sanjeev. (2016). The Ocean of Churn. Penguin Viking
FOR ONLINE PUBLISHED BOOKS: •
Janick, Jules. Horticulture: Plants for People and Places, Volume 3: Social Horticulture. Retrieved from: books.google.co.in (23rd October, 2017)
FOR ONLINE THESIS REPORTS/ JOURNALS/ DOCUMENTS/ PAPERS: •
Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. (1920). The Art of the Landscape Architect. [Online Version]. Retrieved from: https://www.jstor.org/. (15th August, 2017).
FOR WEBSITES •
Schabus, Hans. http://www.dieangewandte.at/en/institutes/fine_arts_and_media_art/sculpture_and_sp ace