Gianfranco Gorgoni: Land Art Photographs

Gianfranco Gorgoni's first career-spanning catalog of his work, featuring iconic photographs that established Land Art as a major art movement of the twentieth century. The catalog includes an introduction by Ann M. Wolfe, an essay by Germano Celant, and an essay by William L. Fox.

Format: Hardback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 24 August 2021
Publisher: Monacelli Press

Gianfranco Gorgoni, a renowned photographer whose iconic images played a pivotal role in establishing Land Art as one of the significant art movements of the 20th century, is the subject of the first comprehensive catalog spanning his entire career. Over the course of five decades, Gorgoni dedicated himself to capturing the essence of Land Art in the United States and internationally. After departing Italy, he embarked on a mission to document the prominent artists of the New York art scene, including Michael Heizer, Robert Smithson, Nancy Holt, Walter De Maria, Carl Andre, and Richard Serra.

It was during this period that Gorgoni joined Heizer, Smithson, and De Maria on their pioneering journeys to the American West in the late 1960s. Their goal was to create groundbreaking Land Art installations that would redefine the contemporary art landscape of the era. In Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah, these artists embarked on ambitious projects that left an indelible mark on the art world. Gorgoni was the sole photographer present to document these extraordinary endeavors, and his images serve as the definitive photographic record of the planning and execution of these groundbreaking works.

Published to coincide with the inaugural major exhibition of Gorgoni's photographic Land Art images at the Nevada Museum of Art, featuring over fifty of his large-scale photographs, Gianfranco Gorgoni: Land Art Photographs is a landmark collection. The book includes an introduction by Ann M. Wolfe, Andrea and John C. Deane Family senior curator and deputy director at the Nevada Museum of Art. Additionally, an essay by the late art historian and critic Germano Celant, whose contribution here is among the last he wrote before his passing in 2020, adds depth to the understanding of Gorgoni's artistic journey. Furthermore, William L. Fox, the Peter E. Pool Director of the Center for Art + Environment, contributes an insightful foreword to the publication.

This comprehensive catalog showcases a diverse range of legendary and lesser-known works by Michael Heizer, Walter De Maria, Christo, and Jeanne-Claude, among others. Gorgoni's photographs capture the raw beauty and grandeur of these artistic creations, providing a glimpse into the profound impact that Land Art had on the landscape and the artistic community. Through his lens, Gorgoni has immortalized the essence of these works, ensuring that they remain a testament to the visionary spirit of the 20th century.

Weight: 2408g
Dimension: 313 x 307 x 34 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781580935593