jim denevan: impermanence on a grand scale

who hasn’t drawn their name, or a shape in the sand at some point in their life? who also hasn’t watched as their work gradually got washed away by waves and wind?

i can remember the first time i saw an earth installation piece on a grand scale - it was the famous and presently threatened spiral jetty.

the work of earth artist jim denevan beggars even that grand piece of work by its sheer scale but also by it’s creator’s astonishing tolerance, acceptance, and even celebration of his work’s impermanance. jim denevan has been creating works using the beaches of the west coast for several years now. using a rake, and found objects - often a stick or a stone - denevan creates massive drawings in the sand, taking up to seven hours and sometimes walking as much as thirty miles in the process of creating his work.

as denevan says “my movement has a present. and then where I want to be, that's the future. ... then the line has a past.”

here are a couple of denevan’s works:



look here to see a work in progress . . .


for more images and information about this incredible man, be sure to visit jim denevan's website.