In an extraordinary act of devotion to his art, sculptural artist Spencer Byles spent a year creating beautiful art installations out of natural and found materials throughout the unmanaged forests of La Colle Sur Loup (where he lived with his family), Villeneuve Loubet and Mougins. He worked together with natural elements of his surroundings to create unique artwork that blends seamlessly with the environment.
Byles' earth art is intentionally secretive – the only way you'll see these work short of his photos is by going into the woods and finding them yourself. I imagine that coming upon such a fantastic work of art unexpectedly in the woods is sure to be quite a magical surprise.
One of the most beautiful things about his land art is its temporary nature. The pieces were not intended to last, and each sculpture will eventually be reclaimed by the natural environment that helped Byles shape it. This full-circle gives the organic pieces a powerfully poetic and philosophical touch, highlighting the beauty of nature.
Read on for Spencer Byles' answers to Bored Panda's questions about his work!
Byles said that the greatest challenge was "working completely on my own every day for over a year. I am a very social person but within a short time I began to enjoy and really value the long days alone in nature"
"In the forest in La Colle Sur Loup, I found many objects hidden, often only by a thin layer of soil sometimes. Bales of wire and old rope which had been buried there from flower growers and farmers who see the forest as a place to discard their rubbish"
We'd like to thank Spencer Byles for talking to Bored Panda about his work and wish him the best of luck with his future projects!