Humanities Arts Cultural Stu 0113 - Art in the Ecozoic Era

In his book The Dream of the Earth, Thomas Barry argues that the next period of time must be the Ecozoic Era, a phase in which all cultural, political, and economic activity must be directed towards sustaining our planet. It is this mandate that fuels the work of those now called environmental or reclamation artists. This combined studio art and art history course examines this movement in contemporary art, and also includes the ancient and modern histories of so-called Earth Art: from Stonehenge and the indigenous Serpent Mounds of Ohio, to interventions by the New York Sanitation Department Artist-in-Residence Merle Ukeles, to the transient projects of performance artist Anna Mendieta and sculptor Andy Goldsworthy. The studio portion of this course will include the creation of impermanent pieces of environmental art, made principally from harvested, degradable natural materials. Students will be responsible for essays, presentations and the making and documentation of our outdoor installations.

Arts, Design, and Media Independent Work Lab Fee: $40