Roelof LOUW South African, 1936-2017
This is perhaps the most famous of his self-titled ‘Scattered’ works, which he worked on for a decade: from 1967-1969. Using physical public space as his site, Louw interrupted and intervened in the landscape, in the same way that Richard Serra was doing simultaneously and of Holland Park, Louw said, “this work was very important at the time as it made the sculpture conform to its environment. The work looked perfectly natural among the sticks and leaves. It could have fallen from the trees. It is so different from something like Serra’s work [Spin Out]”.
Louw went on to represent Britain at Between Man and Matter, the famous 10th Tokyo Biennale in 1970, where he exhibited Rolled Lead Work (1970). He later spent time teaching and working in the USA and Canada where he exhibited in several of the Land Art exhibitions of the 70s before settling again in Cape Town, where he lived and worked up until his death.
Exhibitions
Stockwell Depot 1967-79, Greenwich, London, (July 24th-September 12th 2015).
2013-2014. Uncommon Ground: Land Art in Britain 1966-1979 (Arts Council Collection touring exhibition: Southampton City Art Gallery; National Museum of Wales, Cardiff; Mead Gallery, University of Warwick; Longside Gallery, Yorkshire Sculpture Park)
Literature
l2013. Uncommon Ground: Land Art in Britain 1966-1979. Hayward Publishing, London, p 48-49
Lucy Lippard, Six Years: The Dematerialisation of the Art Objectfrom 1966 to 1972. Studio Vista: London, 1973.