Reconnecting to Nature - Understanding Ecological Art Based on Philosophical Foundation with Implications for Art Education -

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

After reviewing Linda Hall's work based on philosophical foundations, I discovered that many features of the relationship between the artist, their artworks, and environmental issues have the potential to inform the discipline and practice of art education. It can be useful for Korean art education.
Thematically, the ecological art is based on artist's experiences in the natural environment, and reflect the relationship with nature. The ecological artist often exposes himself/herself to nature, and place a great value on such direct encounters. Through the artworks, they foster a conversation between the viewer and nature by expressing their own interactions with nature beyond just their depictions of it. Ecological artwork gives a voice to nature, which has been suffering from un-mindful development by humans. In this context, Rosenthal (2003) proposed that “teaching environmental art provides a venue for integrating the disciplines and promoting systems thinking” (p. 153). She described visual art as “the study and creation of relationships, patterns, and possibilities, including the formal relationships of line, form, and color; exchanges between people and within societies; and the interdependences of human and non-human nature” (p.154). In this study, the holistic worldview of the artist, and the way in which they manifested this worldview in the art, can inform art education practices. In reconnecting the mind and body, and encouraging positive experiences with nature, teachers create a natural motive for even more environmentally-friendly action. Teachers can begin with local issues and then easily extend the students’ awareness to global issues, since involvement with local issues often naturally leads to global issues. According to Blandy, Congdon, and Krug (1998), this sort of art education of place, based as it is on the local community, “promotes the values of diversity, collaborative and cooperative working relationships, and consensus building” (p. 241).
The artwork studied depict nature as a spiritual force that can provide us with positive energy. The artist’ attitude toward the natural environment is evident in her work. The ecological artist demonstrated a strong moral code in relation to their affinity toward nature, and a perception that environmental problems are largely the result of un-mindful development. For students to cultivate a moral reasoning and affinity toward nature, understanding and learning about ecology, community, and place should accompany lessons about art on the basis of philosophical understanding.
Ecological arts often emphasize our responsibility in acting to mitigate environmental problems as well as knowledge about the natural environment helps to build a sense of place. The more students know, the more they will care. Just as with the artists in this study, students can learn about ecology in the process of making art. At the very least, they can recognize what kinds of animals and plants live with us and apply an appreciation for the broader natural world in their artworks.
In terms of environmental issues, art also can be the stimulus for a great communal effort. Because the ecological artist communicates with people through their artworks, s/he stimulates questions about our relationship with the environment and environmental problems. By making connections to their own life issues and experiences, art educators can help students identify and give voice to the questions that arise when they view ecological art.
Art can create a bridge between students and local environmental issues that can lead to communication with neighbors in the community. According to Graham (2006), school “tends to ignore the peculiarities of place, culture, and community in order to standardize the experience of students” (p. 1). Studying the ecological artists and their work suggests ways that the educator might resist the isolation of the classroom from vital issues of communit...

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