Richard Long first started to make mud works in the 1980s using his hands to apply mud directly to the wall. These earlier works featured the artists handprints and finger marks. Untitled (2023) is a continuation of this practice. In the artwork displayed, Long has applied mud from the River Avon in his hometown of Bristol to this black background in gestural, sweeping strokes. The resulting image is made both by his fast-moving hand, and by the natural forces of gravity acting by chance with the watery mud.

In the words of the artist: 'I think generally all my works, whether walking, leaving footprints, fingerprints, using my hands to pick up stones or to make muddy prints on the wall - it's all about my body. Everything is determined by what I can do, physically'.

Richard Long first started to make mud works in the 1980s using his hands to apply mud directly to the wall. These earlier works featured the artists handprints and finger marks. Untitled (2023) is a continuation of this practice. In the artwork displayed, Long has applied mud from the River Avon in his hometown of Bristol to this black background in gestural, sweeping strokes. The resulting image is made both by his fast-moving hand, and by the natural forces of gravity acting by chance with the watery mud.

In the words of the artist: 'I think generally all my works, whether walking, leaving footprints, fingerprints, using my hands to pick up stones or to make muddy prints on the wall - it's all about my body. Everything is determined by what I can do, physically'.

Richard Long first started to make mud works in the 1980s using his hands to apply mud directly to the wall. These earlier works featured the artists handprints and finger marks. Untitled (2023) is a continuation of this practice. In the artwork displayed, Long has applied mud from the River Avon in his hometown of Bristol to this black background in gestural, sweeping strokes. The resulting image is made both by his fast-moving hand, and by the natural forces of gravity acting by chance with the watery mud.

In the words of the artist: 'I think generally all my works, whether walking, leaving footprints, fingerprints, using my hands to pick up stones or to make muddy prints on the wall - it's all about my body. Everything is determined by what I can do, physically'.

Richard Long first started to make mud works in the 1980s using his hands to apply mud directly to the wall. These earlier works featured the artists handprints and finger marks. Untitled (2023) is a continuation of this practice. In the artwork displayed, Long has applied mud from the River Avon in his hometown of Bristol to this black background in gestural, sweeping strokes. The resulting image is made both by his fast-moving hand, and by the natural forces of gravity acting by chance with the watery mud.

In the words of the artist: 'I think generally all my works, whether walking, leaving footprints, fingerprints, using my hands to pick up stones or to make muddy prints on the wall - it's all about my body. Everything is determined by what I can do, physically'.