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Richard Long

Richard Long has been in the vanguard of conceptual art in Britain since he created A Line Made by Walking over half a century ago in 1967, while still a student. This photograph of the path left by his feet in the grass, a fixed line of movement, established a precedent that art could be a journey. Through this medium of walking, time, space and distance became new subjects for his art. From that time he expanded his walks to wilderness regions all over the world, including a walk in the Alps that was documented by his first text work for the seminal exhibition of Minimal and Conceptual works entitled When Attitude Becomes Form at the Kunsthalle Bern in 1969. After 1969, Long began making journeys and sculptures in wilderness places all around the world. In the 1980s, Long began making new types of mud works using handprints applied directly to the wall. He also continued to make large sculptures of lines and circles from slate, driftwood, footprints or stone, often sourced from quarries near the exhibition sites. Long mediates on his experience of these places, from mountains through to deserts, shorelines, grasslands, rivers and snowscapes, according to archetypal geometric marks and shapes, made by his footsteps alone or gathered from the materials of the place. These walks and temporary works of passage are recorded with photographs, maps and text works, where measurements of time and distance, place names and phenomena are vocabulary for both original ideas and powerful, condensed narratives.

Richard Long was born in Bristol, UK in 1945 and he lives and works between London and Bristol. He studied at the West of England College of Art, Bristol (1962–65), then St Martin’s School of Art, London (1966–68). Major solo exhibitions include Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, the Netherlands (2023); M Leuven, Leuven, Belgium (2021); Chateau La Coste, Provence, France (2021); De Pont Museum, Tilburg, Netherlands (2019); Fondation CAB, Brussels, Belgium (2018); Houghton Hall, Norfolk, UK (2017); Arnolfini, Bristol, UK (2015); Hamburger Bahnhof, Berlin, Germany (2010); Tate Britain, London, UK (2009); Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh, UK (2007); San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, CA, USA (2006); National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto, Japan (1996); Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA, USA (1994); and Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, NY, USA (1986). He represented Britain at the 37th Venice Biennale (1976) and won the Turner Prize in 1989. He received the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from the French Ministry of Culture (1990), has been elected to the Royal Academy of Arts, London (2001), awarded Japan’s Praemium Imperiale in the field of sculpture (2009), made a CBE in 2013 and was knighted in the 2018 Honours List.

 

Recent, current and forthcoming projects

'Richard Long at the Rijksmuseum Gardens' at the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, Netherlands (26 May - 29 Oct 2023)

 

Puebla Circle

Richard Long
Puebla Circle

2020
Red and white slate from Puebla, Estado de México D: 9m, H: 0.1m, Approx. 500 slates

Puebla Circle

Richard Long
Puebla Circle

2020
Red and white slate from Puebla, Estado de México D: 9m, H: 0.1m, Approx. 500 slates

Puebla Circle

Richard Long
Puebla Circle

2020
Red and white slate from Puebla, Estado de México D: 9m, H: 0.1m, Approx. 500 slates

Puebla Circle

Richard Long
Puebla Circle

2020
Red and white slate from Puebla, Estado de México D: 9m, H: 0.1m, Approx. 500 slates

Untitled

Richard Long
Untitled

2016
River Avon mud, linen on plywood Diptych Each panel: 200 x 260 x 4 cm / 78 1/2 x 102 1/2 x 1 2/3 in.

Circle for Sally

Richard Long
Circle for Sally

2016
Granite and marble stones Diameter: 520 cm / 204 6/8 in.

Time and Space

Richard Long
Time and Space

2015
Installation view Arnolfini, Bristol, UK

Untitled

Richard Long
Untitled

2015
Terracotta on board 80.5 x 100 x 4 cm / 31 1/2 x 39 x 1 1/2 in.

Untitled

Richard Long
Untitled

2014
River Avon mud, linen on plywood Diptych Each panel: 200 x 260 x 4 cm (each)/ 78 1/2 x 102 1/2 x 2/3 in.

Beyond God Romansch Walk

Richard Long
Beyond God Romansch Walk

2013
Text In situ dimensions variable Framed: 158.5 x 104.5 x 4 cm / 62 x 41 x 1 1/2 in.

A Camp on the Driscoll Glacier

Richard Long
A Camp on the Driscoll Glacier

2012
Photographic print 140.4 x 94.5 x 4 cm / 55 x 37 x 1 1/2 in.

Antarctic Footprints

Richard Long
Antarctic Footprints

2012
Photographic print 94.5 x 140.5 x 4 cm / 37 x 55 x 1 1/2 in.

Cornwall Spiral

Richard Long
Cornwall Spiral

2012
Cornish China clay on wood panel 111 x 107 x 1 cm / 44 x 42 x 1/2 in.

Life Death

Richard Long
Life Death

2011
Text work 105 x 168 x 4 cm / 41 x 66 x 1 1/2 in.

A Bend in the River, China

Richard Long
A Bend in the River, China

2010
Photograph and handwritten text Framed dimensions: 112.5 x 84.5 x 4 cm / 44 x 33 x 1 1/2 in.

Autumn Snowline, Switzerland

Richard Long
Autumn Snowline, Switzerland

2010
Photograph and handwritten text Framed dimensions: 112.5 x 84.5 x 4 cm / 44 x 33 x 1 1/2 in.

Gravity Entropy

Richard Long
Gravity Entropy

2010
Text work 169 x 105 x 4cm / 6 1/2 x 41 x 1 1/2 in.

Granite, From Stone to Stone, Portugal and Spain

Richard Long
Granite, From Stone to Stone, Portugal and Spain

2005
Photograph 87 x 127 cm / 34 x 50 in.

Continuum Walk

Richard Long
Continuum Walk

1998
Text work 106 x 157 x 4 cm / 41 x 62 x 1 1/2 in.

Muddy Water Circle

Richard Long
Muddy Water Circle

1994

Clay on black wall
Dimensions variable

Merrivale Circle

Richard Long
Merrivale Circle

1994
57 granite stones Diameter: 390 cm / 153 1/2 in.

Untitled

Richard Long
Untitled

1995
River Avon mud on paper 39.7 x 29.5 cm / 15 1/2 x 11 1/2 in.

A Circle in Scotland

Richard Long
A Circle in Scotland

1986
Photograph and text Framed dimensions: 87 x 129 x 4 cm / 34 x 51 x 1 1/2 in.

White Onyx Line

Richard Long
White Onyx Line

1990
White Onyx 940 x 150 cm / 370 x 59 in.

White Onyx Line

Richard Long
White Onyx Line

1990
White Onyx 940 x 150 cm / 370 x 59 in.

White Onyx Line

Richard Long
White Onyx Line

1990
White Onyx 940 x 150 cm / 370 x 59 in.

Walking Out of Stones, Texas

Richard Long
Walking Out of Stones, Texas

1990
Text work Framed dimensions: 109 x 160 x 4 cm / 43 x 63 x 1 1/2 in.

Red Slate Line

Richard Long
Red Slate Line

1986
Jagged red slate stones 168 x 1800 cm / 66 x 708 1/2 in.

Grey Slate Spiral

Richard Long
Grey Slate Spiral

1981
112 pieces of Delabole slate Diameter: 480 cms / 189 in.

Slate Line

Richard Long
Slate Line

1978
20 pieces of Cornish Delabole slate 270 x 70 cm / 106 x 27 1/2 in.

Walking a Line in Peru

Richard Long
Walking a Line in Peru

1972
Photograph and text on board 64 x 87.7 cm / 25 x 34 1/2 in.

Three Circles of Stones

Richard Long
Three Circles of Stones

1972

Stones

Three Circles of Stones

Richard Long
Three Circles of Stones

1972

Stones

A Line Made by Walking

Richard Long
A Line Made by Walking

1967
Photograph 

Popocatépetl Line

Richard Long
Popocatépetl Line

2020
Black volcanic stone from Ecatzingo, Estado de México 31 x 2 x 0.4m

Popocatépetl Line

Richard Long
Popocatépetl Line

2020
Black volcanic stone from Ecatzingo, Estado de México 31 x 2 x 0.4m

Popocatépetl Line

Richard Long
Popocatépetl Line

2020
Black volcanic stone from Ecatzingo, Estado de México 31 x 2 x 0.4m

Popocatépetl Line

Richard Long
Popocatépetl Line

2020
Black volcanic stone from Ecatzingo, Estado de México 31 x 2 x 0.4m

Popocatépetl Line

Richard Long
Popocatépetl Line

2020
Black volcanic stone from Ecatzingo, Estado de México 31 x 2 x 0.4m

Barragán Cross

Richard Long
Barragán Cross

2020
Black volcanic stones from Ecatzingo, Estado de México 19 x 19 x 0.35m

Barragán Cross

Richard Long
Barragán Cross

2020
Black volcanic stones from Ecatzingo, Estado de México 19 x 19 x 0.35m

Barragán Cross

Richard Long
Barragán Cross

2020
Black volcanic stones from Ecatzingo, Estado de México 19 x 19 x 0.35m

Barragán Cross

Richard Long
Barragán Cross

2020
Black volcanic stones from Ecatzingo, Estado de México 19 x 19 x 0.35m

Half Sun

Richard Long
Half Sun

2020
Red tezontle stone from Coatepec, Estado de México 9 x 4.5 x 0.3m

Half Sun

Richard Long
Half Sun

2020
Red tezontle stone from Coatepec, Estado de México 9 x 4.5 x 0.3m

Half Sun

Richard Long
Half Sun

2020
Red tezontle stone from Coatepec, Estado de México 9 x 4.5 x 0.3m

Half Sun

Richard Long
Half Sun

2020
Red tezontle stone from Coatepec, Estado de México 9 x 4.5 x 0.3m

Exhibitions

  1. Patternmaker's Maze - current exhibition

    Patternmaker's Maze

    20 July – 12 October 2024

  2. Matter as Actor - past exhibition

    Matter as Actor

    3 May – 24 June 2023

  3. Richard Long: Drinking the rivers of Dartmoor - past exhibition

    Richard Long: Drinking the rivers of Dartmoor

    16 November 2022 – 4 February 2023

  4. Selected works in London - past exhibition

    Selected works in London

    8 December 2020 – 12 January 2021

  5. Richard Long: FROM A ROLLING STONE TO NOW - past exhibition

    Richard Long: FROM A ROLLING STONE TO NOW

    6 March – 3 July 2020

  6. Richard Long: ORIZABA TO URIQUE / RIVER DEEP MOUNTAIN HIGH - past exhibition

    Richard Long: ORIZABA TO URIQUE / RIVER DE...

    7 February – 7 March 2020

  7. Richard Long - past exhibition

    Richard Long

    20 September – 26 October 2019

  8. Richard Long: Circle to Circle - past exhibition

    Richard Long: Circle to Circle

    11 May – 23 June 2018

  9. Richard Long - past exhibition

    Richard Long

    23 May – 12 July 2014

  10. Daniel Buren, Sol LeWitt, Richard Long and Fred Sandback - past exhibition

    Daniel Buren, Sol LeWitt, Richard Long and...

    6 May – 31 May 1980

  11. Richard Long - past exhibition

    Richard Long

    9 October – 9 November 1979

  12. Richard Long: Outback - past exhibition

    Richard Long: Outback

    2 May – 20 May 1978

  13. Richard Long - past exhibition

    Richard Long

    21 May – 18 June 1977

  14. Richard Long: Stones - past exhibition

    Richard Long: Stones

    24 June – 26 June 1976

  15. Richard Long - past exhibition

    Richard Long

    1 November – 30 November 1974

  16. Richard Long - past exhibition

    Richard Long

    23 January – 24 February 1973

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