Kardo Costa during Land Art Biel 2017 © Mike Wolff
Upon arrival at the LandArt camp in Biel, it was immediately clear that a community had formed around the idea. Every day they all gathered in a communal area for breakfast, lunch and dinner, before going back to their respective areas to continue their work. People from many different countries and all walks of life had come to take part in the LandArt project and they all showed a strong passion not only for the art form but also the concepts and community behind it. Moreover, due to the wide range of characters present, the communal area became not just a simple gathering area but a place to meet new people, create new ideas and share the days experiences. It was clear a lot of effort into making the communal area as nice as they could, with a chef on hand at all times making food for the masses to hammocks and areas to relax.
One aspect that instantly caught your eye was that everyone had customised lab coats to wear which provided a striking contrast to the natural materials and location used. The lab coats made the whole event seem very surreal however, at the same time it also lent itself to the atmosphere and the creative process that was being formed. It made the whole community seems closer while also seeming to provide the illusion of order to the chaos of creativity that was taking place.
While walking around the forest it became clear as to the individuality in both the people and their work. Their art ranged from forming a stage in which to do a performance piece to intricate sculptures made from a range of materials. This however, is just a small illustration of the enormous variety that was displayed throughout the event. The pure creativity was incredible and to do justice to each individual participant and their works would require seeing it for yourself!
Mesmar Philip in the laboratoy during Land Art Biel 2017 © Mike Wolff
Although individuality was clearly present, the theme of Mythos (myth) was also clear through each individual’s work, from le Monde Parallèle to the Tower of Babel. This theme helped to tie the whole project together through giving direction to artists and providing a visible connection between all the works being created. While admittedly this link looked vague at times due to the broad nature of the topic, it didn't take away from how they all added to the mystical area they were creating. This resulted in a unique transformation that took place in the forest, which was wonderful to watch. Each day more and more sculptures and art work appeared leading to the eventual creation of a “mythical” forest which, without the context of the project, would have looked outrageous.
On top of all the physical art there were also performance pieces enjoyed by the whole community during the evenings. Their performances somehow drew everyone closer to nature through their primal looking choreography and an eerie use of the forest at night.
The project brought together people from all over the world in a mutual love for LandArt. Through this it created an interesting and unique experiences for all participants while also bringing them closer as a community. This made it clear this project was just as much about the experience as it was the art.
C.Charnley