Earthworks: Land Reclamation, Revisited

While SAM is closed for the safety of our staff and community we have moved Conversations with Curators, our member-only lecture series, online! We are recording each talk in case our members miss one and making a selection of these popular talks available for everyone.

Here is Carrie Dedon, SAM ‘s Assistant Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, discussing Earthworks: Land Reclamation, Revisited. In 1979, the King County Arts Commission sponsored a project with a unique proposition: inviting contemporary artists to design earthworks—site-specific artworks that use the land itself as their medium—to rehabilitate environmentally damaged landscapes. Titled Earthworks: Land Reclamation as Sculpture, the project resulted in one realized earthwork by Robert Morris, and seven unrealized proposals. These are the starting points to explore the history, legacy, and implications of art as a tool for environmental action.

Enjoy this taste of SAM’s member perks and consider joining as member for access to more upcoming live events in this series online, and in person once we can reopen.