Teacher preparation:

Overarching learning goal: By participating in this activity students will recognise that there are multiple forms of environmental art. They will identify ways to critically analyse the intentions of a range of environmental artists and will recognise a range of visual intentions used by environmental artists.

Teacher content information: If creating and looking at art helps you to explore the world, then it makes sense that artists would incorporate the natural environment into their art. Increasingly, environmental art is being explored as a way of interrogating human relationships with the natural world and as a way of improving our relationship with nature.

However, not all environmental art is about taking environmental action. Broadly speaking, environmental art can be broken down into several loose categories:

Art that describes the natural world;
Art that celebrates personal engagement in the natural world; and
Art that directly addresses environmental issues (sometimes known as ‘ecological art’ or eco-art’).

A lot of environmental art is ephemeral; it is made to disappear or transform, much like aspects of the natural environment.

Alternatively it is designed with a particular place in mind. Increasingly, environmental art is a collaborative effort between artists, scientists, or the community.

According to the website greenmuseum.org, some environmental art:

"Informs and interprets nature and its processes, or educates us about environmental problems;
Is concerned with environmental forces and materials, creating artworks affected or powered by wind, water, lightning, even earthquakes;
Re-envisions our relationship to nature, proposing new ways for us to co-exist with our environment; and
Reclaims and remediates damaged environments, restoring ecosystems in artistic and often aesthetic ways."

Student and classroom organisation:

Step 1.

Begin by asking students to share what they think is meant by the term ‘environmental art’. Brainstorm ideas using mindmeister or bubbl.us.

Explain to students that it is widely recognised by the artistic community that environmental art falls into three broad categories:

Art that describes the natural world, for example, celebrating its beauty or wildness;
Art that celebrates personal relationships with the natural world, for example, how the artist feels about the nature or the environment; and
Art that directly addresses environmental issues, for example, climate change, consumption or human disconnection to nature.

Going back to the brainstorm, ask students to categorise the points raised by the class into one of the three categories of environmental art.

Step 2.

Using the images on the student worksheet, ask students to categorise each of the images as one of the three types of environmental art. Remind students that because they are anaylsing these images without the use of the artists’ statements the interpretation of the art is entirely up to them: however, they must use their knowledge of medium, context and intention to justify their responses.

Step 3.

Share with students the explanation for the artworks by the artists (click on the links).

Work 1. Jason deCaires Taylor - Human Nature
Work 2. Andy Goldsworthy - Carefully broken pebbles scratched white with another stone
Work 3. Issac Cordal - Waiting for Climate Change

Engage student in a discussion around these explanations:

How do student interpretations compare?
Do the artists’ statements clarify or confuse student understanding or interpretation of the artwork?
Which artworks are most effective at communicating their messages?

Step 4.

Once complete, ask students to undertake research online or in the library to find one example of environmental art that interests or inspires them. Ask students to analyse this work of art using the questions on the student worksheet.

Assessment/Reflection

Ask students to create a short Prezi presentation (maximum 3 slides) that shows their answers. Students can share their presentation with the class.

Extension

Ask students to write their own definition of environmental art.
Ask students to hypothesise and investigate the differences between environmental art, eco art, landscape art and nature art.

What is environmental art?

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