Things to Ponder
Apocalyptic or Utopian?
This was one question brought on in the final critique. I feel like if I am working with the ideas of climate change in art then this question is begging to be addressed. Which way do I lean? There are plenty of successful artists that lean either way.
In narratives, I think I am drawn to this idea of the civilization after this; a utopia after the apocalypse, alongside the ruins of this world. So maybe that will take shape in the work. However, I find this to be escapist; which has its merits, no doubt. I don't have an interest in creating narratives, but maybe that would make the work more successful.
So I love podcasts, radio, and audio books, and they are great for surface level discussions. I can pretty well list the thesis of an argument from listening to the person sharing their thoughts, but I think I need to get more specific examples of what I am looking for. Anyway, Emma Marris is someone that I need to perform a deep dive on. We seem to share the same views. Essentially that "nature" as we imagine it is dead, and we have to re-evaluate what we do have; as Marris puts it "learn to love" the new nature.
Her thesis is a continuation of Bill McKibben's "End of Nature" in that the idea of a pristine place unaffected by man's influence does not exist, and Marris argues that there is a new ecosystem that thrives around us for which we need to work with. Her argument is kind of two-fold. (1) That much of today's conservation is unsustainable and must be abandoned, thus apocalyptic. This is a bold statement that requires specific examples, but one she lists is a group in Australia trying to save marsupials. By "saving" them they built a large prison-like fence to keep predatory animals at bay. (2) Plants are adapting to us by becoming invasive, weed-like, and maybe we need to shift our views of nature with them adopting this "Post-Wild World". Marris has a quote that I want to live by now, "...we have to let children touch nature, because that which is untouched is unloved."
I picked up her book "Rambunctious Garden" and I am looking for other books that compliment or refuse her proposal. There is book on gardening in the "Post-Wild World" that I am currently looking for.
I don't know yet how to make this pictorial, or even process-based. I intend to prep some small panels and work plein-air. I feel like I need to work outside for a bit, and familiarize myself with Fayetteville. Also if my work is to become sculptural I might need to incorporate gardening. Bio-art.
I think I need to incorporate life into the work, literally. If that isn't enough to think about I want to devise a way to incorporate this non-native novel ecosystem gardening into the community mindset.
tl;dr So... painting plein air panels, sculptural construction material fused with plant life, and activist/guerrilla gardening. Things to think about over Christmas.
This was one question brought on in the final critique. I feel like if I am working with the ideas of climate change in art then this question is begging to be addressed. Which way do I lean? There are plenty of successful artists that lean either way.
In narratives, I think I am drawn to this idea of the civilization after this; a utopia after the apocalypse, alongside the ruins of this world. So maybe that will take shape in the work. However, I find this to be escapist; which has its merits, no doubt. I don't have an interest in creating narratives, but maybe that would make the work more successful.
So I love podcasts, radio, and audio books, and they are great for surface level discussions. I can pretty well list the thesis of an argument from listening to the person sharing their thoughts, but I think I need to get more specific examples of what I am looking for. Anyway, Emma Marris is someone that I need to perform a deep dive on. We seem to share the same views. Essentially that "nature" as we imagine it is dead, and we have to re-evaluate what we do have; as Marris puts it "learn to love" the new nature.
Her thesis is a continuation of Bill McKibben's "End of Nature" in that the idea of a pristine place unaffected by man's influence does not exist, and Marris argues that there is a new ecosystem that thrives around us for which we need to work with. Her argument is kind of two-fold. (1) That much of today's conservation is unsustainable and must be abandoned, thus apocalyptic. This is a bold statement that requires specific examples, but one she lists is a group in Australia trying to save marsupials. By "saving" them they built a large prison-like fence to keep predatory animals at bay. (2) Plants are adapting to us by becoming invasive, weed-like, and maybe we need to shift our views of nature with them adopting this "Post-Wild World". Marris has a quote that I want to live by now, "...we have to let children touch nature, because that which is untouched is unloved."
I picked up her book "Rambunctious Garden" and I am looking for other books that compliment or refuse her proposal. There is book on gardening in the "Post-Wild World" that I am currently looking for.
I don't know yet how to make this pictorial, or even process-based. I intend to prep some small panels and work plein-air. I feel like I need to work outside for a bit, and familiarize myself with Fayetteville. Also if my work is to become sculptural I might need to incorporate gardening. Bio-art.
I think I need to incorporate life into the work, literally. If that isn't enough to think about I want to devise a way to incorporate this non-native novel ecosystem gardening into the community mindset.
tl;dr So... painting plein air panels, sculptural construction material fused with plant life, and activist/guerrilla gardening. Things to think about over Christmas.
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