Foggy Wake in a Desert: An Ecosphere, 1976, National Gallery of Australia Sculpture Garden, Canberra, Australia, by Fujiko Nakaya

Destination Art in the most beautiful settings

Come for the art but stay for the views around these important contemporary artworks from new book Destination Art

Beauty comes in many forms, including the natural and the man made, and there’s no reason why, when admiring one, you cannot enjoy the other. Our new book, Destination Art takes a good look at 500 artworks around the world worth taking a trip to see. Brought to you by the editors behind our highly successful global architecture guide, Destination Architecture, Destination Art details great work across the globe, from Anchorage to Andora, Zimbabwe to Zurich. Some of these artworks are housed in conventional indoor settings, others however, are set amidst the most beautiful scenery. Take a look. 

Foggy Wake in a Desert: An Ecosphere, 1976, National Gallery of Australia Sculpture Garden, Canberra, Australia, by Fujiko Nakaya (above)  It’s hard to tell where the art ends and the natural world begins in this beautiful sculpture park, beside Lake Burley Griffin in the Australian capital – yet this sublime, misty blanket is carefully man-made. “Nakaya’s fog is entirely artificial, generated by forcing water at high pressure through tiny nozzles,” explains our book. “The artist, who exhibits her fog sculptures worldwide, developed the technology with an atmospheric physicist.” 

 

Sun Tunnels, 1973-76, Great Basin Desert, Utah, USA, by Nancy Holt
Sun Tunnels, 1973-76, Great Basin Desert, Utah, USA, by Nancy Holt

 

Sun Tunnels, 1973-76, Great Basin Desert, Utah, USA, by Nancy Holt The stark, striking beauty of the Utah desert is complimented by Holt’s seminal work of land art, which act as minimal, celestial calendars. “The tunnels align with the sunrises and sunsets during the summer and winter solstices,” says our book. “Holt also drilled holes in the shapes of constellations into each tunnel so that when sunlight travels though the holes, it casts an image of the star-inspired arrangements on the tunnels’ inner surface.” 

 

Success Failure, 2014, Domaine du Muy, France, by Gianni Motti
Success Failure, 2014, Domaine du Muy, France, by Gianni Motti

Success Failure, 2014, Domaine du Muy, France, by Gianni Motti Which way do we turn at this provocative sign in this rambling, southern French sculpture park? Fortunately, both routes lead into some beautiful Mediterranean landscape. “The walking trail winds through wild, unkempt scenery (unlike the pristine environment at other parks),” explains our book, “with some artworks placed high in the hills.” 

 

Tree Mountain – a Living Time Capsule – 11,000- Trees, 11,00 People, 400 Years, 1992-6, Pinsiönkankaantie, Finland, by Agnes Denes
Tree Mountain – a Living Time Capsule – 11,000- Trees, 11,00 People, 400 Years, 1992-6, Pinsiönkankaantie, Finland, by Agnes Denes

 

Tree Mountain – a Living Time Capsule – 11,000- Trees, 11,00 People, 400 Years, 1992-6, Pinsiönkankaantie, Finland, by Agnes Denes The American artist Agnes Denes called in a little help to create this man-made mountain in Finland’s western lakes region. “Eleven thousand trees were planted individually by eleven thousand people from all over the world and arranged on the mountain in an elliptical pattern directed by Denes. The trees will benefit future generations and offer a living example of the effects of time on a work of art.” 

 

House to Watch the Sunset, 2005, Aladab, near Agadez, Niger, by Not Vital
House to Watch the Sunset, 2005, Aladab, near Agadez, Niger, by Not Vital

House to Watch the Sunset, 2005, Aladab, near Agadez, Niger, by Not Vital The Swiss artist Not Vital created this folly to allow visitors to take in the beautiful Saharan dusk, as well as in honour of the area’s local nomads. “A longtime fascination with the nomadic lifestyle of the Tuareg people led Vital to Niger in 1999,” says our new book. “One of a group of structures by the artist in Agadez that includes a school, a mosque, and several houses, this tower is purpose-built for viewing the sunset over the desert, with staircases leading from each floor to follow the sun as it moves.” 

 

Destination Art
Destination Art

Feel like seeing these, or any other great works around the world? Then order a copy of Destination Art, our excellent new art travel guide, which lists 500 works by 340 artists in 300 different cities and 60 different countries, all worth a trip. You can buy your copy here. And look out for the next story from it in our phaidon.com series.