04:30 PM to 07:10 PM M
Horizon Hall 1007
Section Information for Fall 2023
This course examines histories of art through the lenses of ecology, climate, landscape, environment, and natural resources, beginning around the time of the Industrial Revolution (c. 1750). It introduces a form of art history known as ecocriticism, which encompasses interdisciplinary perspectives from the humanities, sciences, and social sciences to re-examine art history in light of the growing climate crisis. Ecocriticism often studies images that directly represent the environment and humankind's interaction with it, such as landscape painting, or re-evaluates canonical artworks through an environmental lens. Additionally, this class will examine themes and concerns such as: histories of artistic materials (including cotton, mahogany, cochineal pigment, and plastic); representations of non-human animals and ecosystems; movements such as Land Art and Earthworks that intervene in natural environments; and artworks that respond to concerns about pollution, conservation, and Indigenous land/water stewardship. Ecocritical approaches also by necessity address histories of colonialism and racism. While the primary focus of the class will be the United States, other traditions may be brought in as well.
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Credits: 3
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