Outdoor sculptures designed to decay over time challenge traditional notions of permanence in art, embracing the beauty of transformation. These ephemeral works often use natural materials or reactive metals, allowing weather and time to reshape their forms. Here are some of the most famous examples:

1. Andy Goldsworthy's Environmental Installations - The British artist creates delicate sculptures from leaves, ice, and stones that disappear naturally. His "Storm King Wall" in New York slowly weathers as it snakes through the landscape.

2. Richard Serra's "Tilted Arc" (Removed but Conceptually Relevant) - While not intended to decay, this massive steel wall highlighted how outdoor art interacts with environment and time before its controversial removal.

3. Olafur Eliasson's "Ice Watch" - Temporary installations of glacial ice blocks that melt in city squares, visually demonstrating climate change's impact.

4. Cornelia Konrads' Disappearing Fences - Her "Passage" series features wooden structures that gradually decompose back into forest floors.

5. The "Rust Belt" Movement - Various artists intentionally use untreated steel that develops rich patinas, like Mark di Suvero's evolving harborfront pieces.

These works remind us that art, like nature, follows cycles of creation and dissolution. Their impermanence becomes part of their meaning, inviting viewers to appreciate the present moment before the sculpture transforms into something new. Contemporary artists continue exploring this concept, using biodegradable materials or designing pieces that intentionally erode to comment on environmental themes.