Nature's Art: Environmental Education

How do we teach environmental education?

Environmental Education: Criteria

Pedagogue Tomas R. Gomez in his book Patrimonial Education (La Educacion Patrimonial) suggests that since early age children should be educated on the conservation of the flora (plant life), the fauna (animal life), and other elements of nature. Teachers should instill in students love, respect and interest for the conservation of all elements of the environment. At home and at school, there should be predicated the conservationist conscience needed for future generations to protect the environment. Thus, children should be educated to play a role in the environment in which they live by understanding that they are an important part of the ecology and as such they have duties and responsibilities. These conservationist conscience can take place through an embodied, experiential, environmentally focused education.

How can teachers fuse environmental education with art?

Case Study on Nature's Art: Bodyearth

Ana Mendieta

 

Hayward Gallery Exhibition Trailer: Ana Mendieta, Traces

Materials: Nature

Studio: Nature

Medium: Nature and the body

Inclusive, Accessible, Egalitarian

 

 Ana Mendieta: Traces/Stopy | Krátký dokument | Galerie Rudolfinum

 

Land, New Media and Performance

New Form of Art:  Earthbody

Ideas Explored: transformation, transcendence, rebirth, regeneration 

Timelessness of her art due to classic elements

Disidentification (Esteban Munoz)

Body and land relationship

Themes: History, Memory, Culture, the Passage of Time and Ritual

 Classical Elements: Earth, Water, Wind, Fire

Metaphors: Blood as a part of a spiritual quest  

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ART WORK

"Searching Forwards: A Constant Journey."

By Millie Chokshi, Luke Didriksen , LaurenDelorenzo

Our art collection is called "Searching Forwards: A Constant Journey." We decided to name our series of photos this because as human beings and students we are constantly trying to find ourselves and improve the world around us. Through our photos, we are trying to portray that finding ourselves and becoming a better person is a constant journey, and that is why we are moving and changing positions in all of these photos. It is a journey that may never end, but hopefully we continue moving forward through self-reflection and the help of the community around us. Life is a dynamic process, and we tried to show that through movement and positioning in our photos using nature as the context in which this journey takes place.

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 One in a Million

Remi Petit, Jonathan Cola, Lexi Fioto, Brooke Jaffe, Baire Bowers, Maggie Reich

These pictures represent freedom, individuality, expression, and happiness. The vibrant orange color of the middle of the plant, is a one in a million type of color. It is fun and bright and colorful, just like we want our pictures to represent. We wanted our pictures to express unity, but also uniqueness at the same time, which is why there are group shots where everyone is doing something different but similar and individual shots. The plant has a unique center, but the same leaves which represents the fact that we are all similar but one in a million in our own way. 

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“African Oil Palm”

Taylor Shell, Greg Rousseau, DJ Ivey, Colissa Alford, Ambur Clark

 

Our Collection symbolizes our bond through our African roots. Nature brings individuals together in different ways. The “U” is thrown up to show our school pride. The African Oil Palm became the locus of connection, cohesion and identity for our group.

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" Plug In"

  Kyle Riegler, Kathleen Weetman, Michael Barnett

We found a banyan tree. We liked the way that it connected to the Earth through all of its roots. Kyle connected to the tree and “plugged in” to nature.

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Statues of Nature

Sonny Qadir, Rachel Buis, Jamie Norton, Jessica Maristany

The seriousness of a statue represents the solidness of nature and even if it gets destroyed, nature always comes back stronger  and will always be there.