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Incredible Landscapes
-By Karin Moreno
It began to sprinkle rain all over the Earthwork masterpiece by the world-famous artist, Ritsuko Taho who has Earthwork pieces throughout the world and has recently graced Copper Mountain College (CMC) with her presence and art.
She stands over her piece, which is laid out on the ground, consisting of trenches and crests of dirt: �It still remains the original forms of the natural landscapes,� explained Taho about the reason she chose CMC as a medium.
The yet untitled piece lies behind the CMC Workforce Development Center, across the parking lot, into the landscape facing the mountains. A path of disposed brick steps leads to a dirt platform where the viewers set their palms in the center. Their fingers merge with the crests and troughs of dirt. Their hands elongate about 30 feet into the desert, as if clutching their fingers into one of the final aspects of virgin nature. The theme of the art piece intended by Taho is �How we relate to the Earth.� This piece visually enhances raw nature, as the viewer becomes a part of the art piece and the landscape.
Although the materials for this piece are very basic, her pieces are usually quite costly. The grass pyramids in Japan took about two million dollars to construct; yet she is working at CMC without commission. She discovered CMC in a sculptor�s magazine and decided to participate in this art community, �because I wanted�, she said and laughed naturally.
�I can get psyched and plus I can do what I want . . . Also, I don�t have to go through the many, many, many committees like public art and also I can work with the earth and in the city it�s very difficult.� According to Taho, the significance of this piece is �raising the question on the idea of landscape,� and it certainly does that.
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