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The Herald Scotland
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Review: Andy Goldsworthy: Fifty Years is monumental in every sense
You could call Andy Goldsworthy the ultimate outsider artist. Not in the sense of his being untutored or self-taught, or because he inhabits the margins of the art world. Neither is true. It's simply that outside is where he is for so much of the time. In the elements. Jumping naked into sun-dappled rivers running red with iron and peat, crawling through frozen hedges at dawn, submerging himself in a rock pool on the coast of Maine – and photographing or videoing the results. Or else he is cutting, twisting, shaping, bending, placing and patterning leaves, twigs, stones and branches for interventions in the natural world. This has been his take on outsider art for half a century, a fact reflected in the simple title of this extraordinary show of his work at the Royal Scottish Academy (RSA). Accordingly, Andy Goldsworthy: Fifty Years is monumental in every sense. In scale, ambition, time span covered, themes broached, questions asked and – perhaps most important of all – in emotions triggered as a result. It's hard to ask more of art than this, and rare to be delivered of anything as powerful. The downstairs galleries tell Goldsworthy's back story with a collection of older works and cases featuring archive photographs and sketchbooks. But as much as it is a retrospective, the show is also a rich source of recent works and of others newly created for the space. Read more: The first of these, Wool Runner, greets visitors at the entrance to the RSA. It's a carpet of discarded wool fleeces, marked here and there with the colours farmers use to identify their flocks. You can even smell the lanolin. Upstairs in Room Two, another new work titled Skylight. Few artists offered the chance to create site specific work in the vast galleries of the RSA respond to the height of the rooms or turn the lack of natural ambient light in some of them to their advantage. Goldsworthy does both. With Skylight he creates a sort of chapel made from bull-rushes which reach high up to the grimy skylight. Gravestones is the most affecting work. (Image: Sam Drake) Next door, in the room holding the show's most affecting work, is a partner piece titled Gravestones. Here, in the half-light, the eye is drawn down rather than up, to the stones which fill the space. They were collected from 108 cemeteries in Dumfries and Galloway, where the Leeds-born artist has lived since 1985, and the work was inspired by a visit he made to the grave of his ex-wife. The stones are essentially rubble removed by gravediggers as they prepare the ground for a burial. But for Goldsworthy they are a powerful symbol of transference and meaning: their removal to make space for a human body gives them a tremendous power. They become solemn objects, to be treated with respect. Resistance is a common theme, which seems odd at first for a land artist. This is work, after all, which deals often with natural spaces, open landscapes, weather, chance, time, the circle of life and the environment. But it is also work made in places which are quite literally fenced in. Permissions and rights of way are a constant concern for Goldsworthy – he is often asked to leave, not always politely – so the materials used to enforce and protect them inevitably find their way into the work. The most explicit example is Fence, another new, site-specific work. It greets visitors in the Sculpture Court. Wound round the two mighty pillars on either side of the main entrance to the main galleries – and blocking it – is what looks like a pretty trellis. Come closer, though: it's a forbidding barrier of rusted barbed wire. Read more: How the famous Oasis-Blur chart war became a West End play Supernatural fiction and psychological thriller - set in a Springburn high rise More obvious a theme is the earth and what it contains in terms of minerals. Iron is a favourite, also an important component of human blood. In Flags, which cuts across Room Three, Goldsworthy has collected the reddest earth he can from all 50 US states and made 50 flags in various shades. In 2020 they were flown on some of the 200 flagpoles outside the Rockerfeller Centre in New York. Iowa is the one which most closely resembles dried blood, others appear orange or pinkish. Elsewhere, more blood, only the real stuff this time. Driving home one night in 2004 Goldsworthy hits a hare. He scoops up the body, guts it, fills the head with snow and hangs it up. As the snow melts, drips and mingles with the blood, he captures the resulting patterns on large pieces of paper. This is Hare Blood And Snow, a beautiful (if gruesome) triptych. The works made from wood, stone, ferns, bull-rushes and other natural materials do dominate but the photographs and video works featuring Goldsworthy shouldn't be overlooked or their importance ignored. Yes, they are performative to an extent, but that isn't their chief aim. For the artist, they are simply adjuncts to the important experiential aspect of his art. In that rock-pool in Maine, for instance, his primary focus was not on the footage he would collect but on his own body: how he felt submerged under the seaweed as crabs nibbled his ears and his feet, as a rock under his back became increasingly uncomfortable. Then the sense of dislocation as the tide came in around him and floated his body clear. Goldsworthy himself is there for the opening, a sprightly 68-year-old dressed in T-shirt, jeans and hiking boots, a faded tattoo visible on one muscled forearm. At one point he mentions the philosopher and humanist Jacob Bronowski and quotes his famous dictum that the hand is the cutting edge of the mind. 'I think through my hands,' he adds. 'I get ideas through my hands and the world makes sense through my hands.' So go on, touch the work of Andy Goldsworthy – perhaps not literally, though it's unlikely he would care. But do it by wandering the halls of the grand old building on the Mound, where for a few months the outside has come inside to remind us of its elemental qualities – and where, guided the artist's eyes, work and yes, his hands, we can perhaps make our own sense of it all. Andy Goldsworthy: Fifty Years opens at the Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh on July 26 (until November 2)
Rhyl Journal
21-07-2025
- Sport
- Rhyl Journal
Relieved Carpenter relishes making long-awaited England debut in USA
The Leeds-born star, 23, made his international bow as part of Steve Borthwick's team that beat the USA 40-5 in Washington DC on Saturday night to round off a summer clean sweep of victories after an impressive 2-0 win in Argentina. But the match in the American capital kicked off an hour later than planned due to a lightning strike in the area, with the game then halted by a further half an hour on 29 minutes when another struck within 10 miles of the ground when England were 14-0 up. The disruption followed several similar incidents at the recent Club World Cup in the US, with champions Chelsea's clash against Benfica delayed by nearly two hours after the Portuguese giants endured an even longer disruption against Auckland City. Sale Sharks full-back Carpenter, watched on by dad Will, mum Jackie, partner Federica and brother Josh at Audi Field, was one of six players to be handed their debuts alongside fellow starters Max Ojomoh and Arthur Clark. And asked about how the delays affected him, he said: 'Most of us getting new caps were just hoping the game was going to start, to be honest! 'Thankfully the weather held out eventually – there are a lot of happy boys in there and it's been a really special tour. 'It's probably not one the lads expected – it was probably the longest game of rugby a lot of the boys have had. 'But to go out there and get the win makes it very special. 'We've got a lot of strong leaders in there who led the way, kept us composed and got us chilled out and fired up at the right time. 'Mentally it's quite tough when you're about to start a game, then come off again. 'But I thought the boys handled it really well – to get three wins out of three is a great way to do it. 'The connections boys have made is massive and there are lots of happy faces in the dressing room right now. 'It was definitely special [to have my family here] – they're the reason I'm here. They've supported me throughout as a young one and as a professional. 'For them to be here for my first one is massively important to me.' Curtis Langdon, Luke Northmore, Cadan Murley, Jack van Poortvliet, Harry Randall and debutant Gabriel Oghre all scored to make it three transatlantic wins from three and extend England's winning run to seven matches – their longest streak since back in 2020. Carpenter nearly got on the scoresheet himself only for his dream debut try to be denied after a narrowly-adjudged Murley knock-on. USA grabbed a late consolation through Shilo Klein to give the home fans who remained something to cheer about but England's work was done as they ended their triumphant tour in style. England will now enjoy their summer break before gearing up for crunch autumn internationals against the likes of Australia and New Zealand at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham. And Carpenter, who delivered a rock-solid display on debut, is desperate to be involved. 'That's definitely a goal of mine,' he added. 'Whether it happens or not I don't know – I've got to go back and perform for Sale now. 'We'll definitely enjoy the break and hopefully when autumn comes round I'm still performing and can get a few more caps.' Purchase your tickets to the Autumn Nations Series at Allianz Stadium
South Wales Argus
21-07-2025
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
Relieved Carpenter relishes making long-awaited England debut in USA
The Leeds-born star, 23, made his international bow as part of Steve Borthwick's team that beat the USA 40-5 in Washington DC on Saturday night to round off a summer clean sweep of victories after an impressive 2-0 win in Argentina. But the match in the American capital kicked off an hour later than planned due to a lightning strike in the area, with the game then halted by a further half an hour on 29 minutes when another struck within 10 miles of the ground when England were 14-0 up. The disruption followed several similar incidents at the recent Club World Cup in the US, with champions Chelsea's clash against Benfica delayed by nearly two hours after the Portuguese giants endured an even longer disruption against Auckland City. Sale Sharks full-back Carpenter, watched on by dad Will, mum Jackie, partner Federica and brother Josh at Audi Field, was one of six players to be handed their debuts alongside fellow starters Max Ojomoh and Arthur Clark. And asked about how the delays affected him, he said: 'Most of us getting new caps were just hoping the game was going to start, to be honest! 'Thankfully the weather held out eventually – there are a lot of happy boys in there and it's been a really special tour. 'It's probably not one the lads expected – it was probably the longest game of rugby a lot of the boys have had. 'But to go out there and get the win makes it very special. 'We've got a lot of strong leaders in there who led the way, kept us composed and got us chilled out and fired up at the right time. 'Mentally it's quite tough when you're about to start a game, then come off again. 'But I thought the boys handled it really well – to get three wins out of three is a great way to do it. 'The connections boys have made is massive and there are lots of happy faces in the dressing room right now. 'It was definitely special [to have my family here] – they're the reason I'm here. They've supported me throughout as a young one and as a professional. 'For them to be here for my first one is massively important to me.' Curtis Langdon, Luke Northmore, Cadan Murley, Jack van Poortvliet, Harry Randall and debutant Gabriel Oghre all scored to make it three transatlantic wins from three and extend England's winning run to seven matches – their longest streak since back in 2020. Carpenter nearly got on the scoresheet himself only for his dream debut try to be denied after a narrowly-adjudged Murley knock-on. USA grabbed a late consolation through Shilo Klein to give the home fans who remained something to cheer about but England's work was done as they ended their triumphant tour in style. England will now enjoy their summer break before gearing up for crunch autumn internationals against the likes of Australia and New Zealand at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham. And Carpenter, who delivered a rock-solid display on debut, is desperate to be involved. 'That's definitely a goal of mine,' he added. 'Whether it happens or not I don't know – I've got to go back and perform for Sale now. 'We'll definitely enjoy the break and hopefully when autumn comes round I'm still performing and can get a few more caps.' Purchase your tickets to the Autumn Nations Series at Allianz Stadium
Powys County Times
21-07-2025
- Sport
- Powys County Times
Relieved Carpenter relishes making long-awaited England debut in USA
Joe Carpenter joked he feared his England debut was never going to happen after a chaotic night of delays and disruption in Washington DC. The Leeds-born star, 23, made his international bow as part of Steve Borthwick's team that beat the USA 40-5 in Washington DC on Saturday night to round off a summer clean sweep of victories after an impressive 2-0 win in Argentina. But the match in the American capital kicked off an hour later than planned due to a lightning strike in the area, with the game then halted by a further half an hour on 29 minutes when another struck within 10 miles of the ground when England were 14-0 up. The disruption followed several similar incidents at the recent Club World Cup in the US, with champions Chelsea's clash against Benfica delayed by nearly two hours after the Portuguese giants endured an even longer disruption against Auckland City. Sale Sharks full-back Carpenter, watched on by dad Will, mum Jackie, partner Federica and brother Josh at Audi Field, was one of six players to be handed their debuts alongside fellow starters Max Ojomoh and Arthur Clark. And asked about how the delays affected him, he said: 'Most of us getting new caps were just hoping the game was going to start, to be honest! 'Thankfully the weather held out eventually – there are a lot of happy boys in there and it's been a really special tour. 'It's probably not one the lads expected – it was probably the longest game of rugby a lot of the boys have had. 'But to go out there and get the win makes it very special. 'We've got a lot of strong leaders in there who led the way, kept us composed and got us chilled out and fired up at the right time. 'Mentally it's quite tough when you're about to start a game, then come off again. 'But I thought the boys handled it really well – to get three wins out of three is a great way to do it. 'The connections boys have made is massive and there are lots of happy faces in the dressing room right now. 'It was definitely special [to have my family here] – they're the reason I'm here. They've supported me throughout as a young one and as a professional. 'For them to be here for my first one is massively important to me.' Curtis Langdon, Luke Northmore, Cadan Murley, Jack van Poortvliet, Harry Randall and debutant Gabriel Oghre all scored to make it three transatlantic wins from three and extend England's winning run to seven matches – their longest streak since back in 2020. Carpenter nearly got on the scoresheet himself only for his dream debut try to be denied after a narrowly-adjudged Murley knock-on. USA grabbed a late consolation through Shilo Klein to give the home fans who remained something to cheer about but England's work was done as they ended their triumphant tour in style. England will now enjoy their summer break before gearing up for crunch autumn internationals against the likes of Australia and New Zealand at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham. And Carpenter, who delivered a rock-solid display on debut, is desperate to be involved. 'That's definitely a goal of mine,' he added. 'Whether it happens or not I don't know – I've got to go back and perform for Sale now. 'We'll definitely enjoy the break and hopefully when autumn comes round I'm still performing and can get a few more caps.'
South Wales Guardian
21-07-2025
- Sport
- South Wales Guardian
Relieved Carpenter relishes making long-awaited England debut in USA
The Leeds-born star, 23, made his international bow as part of Steve Borthwick's team that beat the USA 40-5 in Washington DC on Saturday night to round off a summer clean sweep of victories after an impressive 2-0 win in Argentina. But the match in the American capital kicked off an hour later than planned due to a lightning strike in the area, with the game then halted by a further half an hour on 29 minutes when another struck within 10 miles of the ground when England were 14-0 up. The disruption followed several similar incidents at the recent Club World Cup in the US, with champions Chelsea's clash against Benfica delayed by nearly two hours after the Portuguese giants endured an even longer disruption against Auckland City. Sale Sharks full-back Carpenter, watched on by dad Will, mum Jackie, partner Federica and brother Josh at Audi Field, was one of six players to be handed their debuts alongside fellow starters Max Ojomoh and Arthur Clark. And asked about how the delays affected him, he said: 'Most of us getting new caps were just hoping the game was going to start, to be honest! 'Thankfully the weather held out eventually – there are a lot of happy boys in there and it's been a really special tour. 'It's probably not one the lads expected – it was probably the longest game of rugby a lot of the boys have had. 'But to go out there and get the win makes it very special. 'We've got a lot of strong leaders in there who led the way, kept us composed and got us chilled out and fired up at the right time. 'Mentally it's quite tough when you're about to start a game, then come off again. 'But I thought the boys handled it really well – to get three wins out of three is a great way to do it. 'The connections boys have made is massive and there are lots of happy faces in the dressing room right now. 'It was definitely special [to have my family here] – they're the reason I'm here. They've supported me throughout as a young one and as a professional. 'For them to be here for my first one is massively important to me.' Curtis Langdon, Luke Northmore, Cadan Murley, Jack van Poortvliet, Harry Randall and debutant Gabriel Oghre all scored to make it three transatlantic wins from three and extend England's winning run to seven matches – their longest streak since back in 2020. Carpenter nearly got on the scoresheet himself only for his dream debut try to be denied after a narrowly-adjudged Murley knock-on. USA grabbed a late consolation through Shilo Klein to give the home fans who remained something to cheer about but England's work was done as they ended their triumphant tour in style. England will now enjoy their summer break before gearing up for crunch autumn internationals against the likes of Australia and New Zealand at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham. And Carpenter, who delivered a rock-solid display on debut, is desperate to be involved. 'That's definitely a goal of mine,' he added. 'Whether it happens or not I don't know – I've got to go back and perform for Sale now. 'We'll definitely enjoy the break and hopefully when autumn comes round I'm still performing and can get a few more caps.' Purchase your tickets to the Autumn Nations Series at Allianz Stadium
