Ice on Rock by Andy Goldsworthy - Essay Example

First and foremost, get familiar with the environment, the rivers, and the rocks, and collect plenty of suitable icicles likely to be found just at the boundary of the shore of the river. The zigzag flow of the river needs to be depicted by the structure. Design it in such a way as to give an illusion of the icicles flowing through the rock. Create the structure with bare hands, as gloves stick to the icicles and the hands don’t have the sensitivity to handle them with gloves on. Start with the thickest icicles and the middle of the rock. Decrease the thickness gradually as you reach the top of the rock. Next, pick one icicle and dip its tip in the liquid glue.

Now, carefully stick it to one side of the rock. By gluing the icicles from end to end, and navigating from one end of the rock to the other for each ‘wave’ of icicles, complete almost the whole structure, just leaving out the bends. Carefully notice the size of the icicle required for the bend, and break it with your teeth. The icicle may have to be broken three to four times depending on the size and shape required for a particular bend. After the adequate shape and size have been achieved, carefully place the icicle in the gap between two icicles and complete the bend. The timing is very crucial; if you start too early then you won’t be able to see anything because of the lack of sunlight, and if it's too late, then you’ll not be able to finish it before the sun has risen fully.

Once the work is complete and at the right time, the sun rising from behind the cliff will make the icicles on both sides of the rock glow like pearl drops. It’s an extremely captivating view for one’s eyes and it humbles a person; just looking at the work and admiring the effortless and glorious movement of water through the river.

Driftwood
In this segment, Andy tries to experience and understand the mysterious yet enigmatic process of the meeting of the river with the sea. He mentions that his first memory of a beach was a river and a pool, and the river turning the pool. With the help of the structure of the driftwood; which he calls a ‘salmon hole’, he tries to emulate this natural process. The construction of the structure is a bit tiresome as it requires extreme precision and patience. Mainly, the materials needed are a huge number of dry twigs and logs of various lengths and sizes.

First and foremost, collect a huge number of logs and twigs from the nearby area. All sizes and shapes need to be selected so that the structure can take a perfect and stable form. The long and sturdy logs provide balance and the shorter, more delicate twigs are essential for building the volume of the structure. Once the logs have been accumulated, choose a sturdy rock with a smooth surface for the base of the structure. Also, it should be situated just at the boundary of the river and the sea. The correct selection of the base is very crucial as then only will it guarantee the fulfillment of its purpose.

The structure is built with the intention that it will float away once the tide comes in. Thus, the selection of the base and its position has to be done extremely carefully and without fault. Next, start placing the twigs and the logs on the rock, making a wide circular pattern. Place long and flat pieces at the bottom for better balance and a proper shape. The motion behind the structure is that of a salmon hole, built to give a cozy and secure essence. Make the structure of adequate height, for example, up to shoulder level.

Stand at the center and build the structure around yourself, keeping a small opening at the bottom so that you can crawl out. Keep the structure broad at the bottom and keep narrowing it as you move up. It should have the essence of a ‘whirlpool’, i.e., a continuous circular mass of logs and twigs starting with a wide and broad circle but gradually and smoothly narrowing down as it goes up. Once the structure is almost complete, place a few long logs on the top pile, for further balance and stability. After completing, crawl out carefully using the narrow clearance.

Now, wait for the tide to come in and experience a miracle. Once the tide comes in, it takes the structure with it, slowly starting to float away with the water, as if becoming one with it. As Andy puts it, “It is as if the work is taken into another plane, another world.” The whole structure silently dismantles and floats along with the water, destroying itself in the process but not making it feel like destruction at all. The beauty of the process is best witnessed with one’s own eyes and no amount of words can justify it. It's one of those mystical processes which soothe the body and soul alike and make artists live and strive for more with each passing day.
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