A STUDY OF LANDSCAPE IN MOTION, FROM ANCIENT DYNASTIES TO MODERN ART

Abstract

Landscape is not a static entity but a dynamic and evolving space shaped by motion, time, and perception. Traditional Chinese landscape painting and modern land art alike reveal how human culture engages with the changing physical environment through visual and philosophical expression. This study aims to explore the dynamic nature of landscape as represented in visual art and design, particularly through the lenses of movement, time, and cultural symbolism. It focuses on how traditional Chinese landscape painting and modern land art embody the evolving relationship between humans and the environment. Using a qualitative visual analysis approach, this research examines selected works from key figures such as Ma Yuan, Jackson Pollock, and Robert Smithson. Supported by theories in cultural geography and landscape aesthetics, the study analyzes how artistic techniques and spatial composition reflect landscape dynamics across history and culture. Results: The findings reveal that landscape is experienced and represented as a dynamic phenomenon across three major dimensions: (1) fast and slow movements in natural and designed environments; (2) the cyclical passage of time and its inscription in physical space; and (3) the symbolic, cultural, and philosophical roles of landscape in art. These dimensions collectively demonstrate that landscape serves as both an ecological system and a cultural narrative medium.