Artists in the mines, quarries and saltworks. Land art or earthworks and ecological art

Abstract

At the end of the 60s of the 20th century, a group of mostly Anglo-Saxon artists began a series of works in a context of social struggle and the beginning of the environmental movement that gave rise to what has been called land art and earthworks. Since then these initiatives have had extensive development. The historical study of these works, their symbolic meaning, their impact on the development of contemporary art and the role played as an engine of development of the territories where such works have been carried out will be the main objective of this work. These artistic works are executed on the territory and remain inextricably linked to it, where man leaves his mark on nature. They are actions that build, destroy or modify the landscape to a greater or lesser extent, since they frequently acquire large dimensions. Since the end of the 20th century, some artistic interventions will be carried out to revalue the landscape of mines, quarries and salt mines, particularly after its closure. It can be said that these works show a certain ephemeral character, depending on the qualities of the geological materials and the climate, being exposed to the direct action of the meteors, and in any case, it is an outdoor art. Ecological or environmental artists will see their initiatives enhanced after the approval of the first protectionist laws in the 70s. These artists work in mines and quarries, mainly from the point of view of landscape and environmental recovery.