ETHICALLY ADDRESSING ENVIRONMENTAL AND SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES THROUGH ART EDUCATION: ART AND SOCIAL PRACTICE
By
CAROLINA REESE
A CAPSTONE PROJECT PRESENTED TO THE COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT
OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OFMASTER OF ARTS
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 2012
ART AND SOCIAL PRACTICE 1
©2012 Carolina Reese
ART AND SOCIAL PRACTICE 2
Acknowledgements
It is with gratitude that I acknowledge the dedicated help and support of my committee
chair, Professor Michelle Tillander. She set the bar high and championed me to reach it with her
passion and verve. Without her guidance this capstone would not be what it is, and I am indebted
to her for that. I would also like to thank my committee member, Professor Elizabeth Delacruz,
whose professional and personal advice and support throughout my studies at the University of
Florida have encouraged me to do my best. In addition, I owe a debt of gratitude to Professor
Craig Roland, whose sage advice, wisdom, and humor have given me the courage to take risks
and pursue lofty goals. I would also like to thank my classmate, Amy Cranfill, who has gone
through this process alongside me. We have been in the trenches together and her support, advice
(at all hours), and spunky encouragement has meant the world to me. Finally, I cannot imagine
successfully completing this project without the support of my family. Thank you to my mom for
putting school first and showing me what hard work looks like. My husband, David, is my
partner in every sense of the word. Graduate school as a parent is no easy task and he has
supported me in every single way. Thank you. Last but not least is my daughter, Isabella. She
inspires me everyday to be a better parent and educator. Peanut, I do this all for you.
ART AND SOCIAL PRACTICE 3
ABSTRACT OF CAPSTONE PROJECT PRESENTED TO THE COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS
ETHICALLY ADDRESSING ENVIRONMENTAL AND SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES THROUGH ART EDUCATION: ART AND SOCIAL PRACTICE
By
Carolina Reese
December 2012
Chair: Michelle Tillander Committee Member: Elizabeth DelacruzMajor: Art Education
Abstract
This project highlights research on the connection between environmental ethics, sustainability,
and art education, emphasizing these themes within the context of art education, without
prioritizing object-making. Specifically, I propose limiting material production and emphasizing
social activism by linking art education with Social Practice as a means for addressing
environmental and sustainability issues. Using historical and philosophical inquiry research
methodologies, I produced two resources for teachers interested in adding Environmental Social
Practice to their art education curriculum. The first is an online guide via ISSUUTM which serves
as a brief starting resource on environmental ethics, sustainability and Social Practice as they
relate to art education. The second product is a sustainable, living web resource by way of a
Pinterest® page which contains current web content on environmental ethics, sustainability,
Social Practice, and environmental art education. For added search-ability, both products along
with further information are accessible on my webpage, carolinareeseart.com.
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Table of Contents
.........................................................................................................................................Title Page 1
...........................................................................................................................UF Copyright page 2
.........................................................................................................................Acknowledgements 3
....................................................................................................................UF Formatted Abstract 4
.............................................................................................................................Table of Contents 5
......................................................................................................................................Introduction 7
.....................................................................................................Statement of the Problem 7
.............................................................................................Purpose or Goals of the Study 9
............................................................................................................Research Questions 11
...........................................................................Rationale and Significance of the Study 11
......................................................................................................................Assumptions 13
............................................................................................................Definition of Terms 14
..........................................................................................................................Literature Review 15
...........................................................................................The State of the Environment 15
..................................................................................Environmentalism in Art Education 16
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....................................................................................................What is Social Practice? 17
.................................................................................................................................Methodology 17
..................................................................................................Data Analysis Procedures 19
.........................................................................................................................Limitations 20
Findings ........................................................................................................................................ 20
...................................................................................................Social Practice Examples 21
........................................................................................Social Practice in the classroom 29
Summary Across all Findings ........................................................................................... 31
Discussion and Conclusion ........................................................................................................... 32
Discussion and Interpretation of Findings ........................................................................ 33
Significance, Implications and Recommendations............................................................ 34
Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 37
.....................................................................................................................................References 39
..............................................................................................List of Figures and Figure Captions 43
..........................................................................................................................Author Biography 44
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You may be noticing more recycling programs starting up in communities and schools.
Many of us are now reaching for environmentally conscious cleaning supplies, paying attention
to how much water we waste, buying eco-friendly light bulbs and Energy Star® appliances. It is
interesting to see how much eco-friendly products are becoming part of our mainstream markets.
In the first quarter of 2012, the Toyota Prius, which was once considered a niche oddity, was the
third best-selling car in the world (Ohnsman & Hagiwara, 2012, para.1). Environmental issues
and sustainability are now mainstream conversation, from the classroom to the White House.
How are these current environmental concerns translating into the art education classroom?
I am researching the connection between environmental ethics, sustainability issues and
art education by way of Social Practice. According to the California College of the Arts (2012)
Social Practice uses themes such as aesthetics, ethics, collaboration, and social activism (among
others) to engage art in social issues and into the public arena. As opposed to traditional object-
based methods of art creation, I believe Social Practice to be particularly important to
environmental and sustainability issues because it challenges the emphasis on and significance of
the value of art objects and is more deeply rooted in anti-materialistic movements that aim to
forge deeper bonds between people and society, and for the purposes of this project people and
the environment (Row, 2010, p. B3).
Statement of the Problem
What is our ethical duty (if any) to our planet? What do we do to affect sustainability
globally and locally? These are questions art educators face when teaching environmental issues.
Specifically, art educators who teach environmental issues need to look at environmental ethics
and sustainability as an integral part of their curriculum, that is, active sustainable solutions.
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With climate change at the forefront of social consciousness, curricula that aim to address
such issues by solely making tribute-type art objects or recycle art materials, may not be
adequately helping the environment and can possibly be exacerbating the problem by making
more objects that ultimately end up in landfills. It is becoming ethically more necessary for
educators across disciplines to address our human connection to the environment. Becoming
more critical, art educators can move beyond the status quo and examine different strategies that
will have a greater impact on environmental change.
We need only listen to the current discourse in newspapers and news channels to see that
climate change and environmental destruction is of great concern to scientists, economists,
politicians, and citizens alike. On a national scale, President Obama’s campaign platform states,
“We know that global climate change is one of the biggest threats of this generation—an
economic, environmental, and national security catastrophe in the making” (DNC, 2012).
Locally, communities are struggling to limit waste, recycle, and change the current course of
climate change. Examples of this can be seen most recently in San Francisco, California where
on October 1, 2012, a new city-wide legislation goes into effect to try to curb waste. Matt Richtel
(2012) reported for The New York Times on this legislation as “one of the nation’s most far-
reaching bag ordinances, banning bags at all retailers - big and small, and also restaurants - and
eventually requiring they charge 10 cents for paper and compostable carryout bags” (para. 14).
Ordinances like these are becoming more common as communities struggle to address
sustainability issues with a growing population and limited resources.
Art Education’s has a long standing history of teaching environmentalism and linking
sustainability issues to artmaking. According to Blandy & Hoffman (1993), two active voices in
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environmental art education, April 22, 1970 - Earth Day - started the modern environmental
movement (p. 24). Earth Day not only served as a major political and social catalyst for
environmental change, but also sparked conversations between educators and artists about the
relationship of aesthetics and environmentalism (Blandy &Hoffman, 1993, p. 24). Conversations
continued, but the eco-art education movement was slow to gain acceptance. Not until 1992 did
The National Art Education Association (NAEA) recognize environmentalism by making it the
theme of its annual convention, “the land, the people, the ecology of art education” (Blandy
&Hoffman, 1993, p. 31). However, according to Blandy and Hoffman (1993), “it was
disappointing that conference organizers did not capitalize on the provocative theme the 1992
NAEA Convention offered by providing ecologically responsible alternatives to usual
convention practice” (p. 31).
From the nineties onward, scholars, educators, and artists have collaborated to provide
suggestions for developing environmental art education pedagogy. Inwood (2010) states that,
“whether grounded on scientific or aesthetic footings, they recommend a pedagogy that is
community-based, interdisciplinary, experiential, interactive, dialogic, ideologically aware, and
built on the values of empathy, sustainability, and respect for the environment” (para. 8). As the
environment is now a global issue, the values of empathy, sustainability, and respect for the
environment need to be grounded in an active art educational practice, responsibly connected to
research, reality, and social practice movements.
Purpose or Goals of the Study
I am looking to move away from the historical value and practice of traditional object
making and create a guide on Environmental Social Practice, a different model under which to
ART AND SOCIAL PRACTICE 9
address environmental ethics and sustainability. As a tool for professional development, I have
developed and produced an online guide for art educators that serves as an entry point through
which art educators can become familiar with Environmental Social Practice. Additionally, I also
developed a timely art education and social media platform on which to follow current trends in
Environmental Social Practice. Thus, my research resulted in two products, an online guide and a
Pinterest® page.
The online guide will address environmental and sustainability issues in art education via
Social Practice. The guide will be published on ISSUUTM online, an online platform that allows
people to publish online material in a professional way. Furthermore, ISSUETM is useful as a
publishing resource because educators can search the site for subject specific publications,
making it easily accessible. The online guide will have content on environmental ethics,
sustainability and social practice as they relate to art education. The guide includes a brief history
of environmental art education, Social Practice projects, and a rationale for social practice as an
environmentally ethical way to address environmental and sustainability. In addition, the guide
will contain suggestions of ways in which teachers can incorporate Social Practice into their
school culture.
Because environmental issues change over time it is important that this project not be
static, but rather a living, sustainable, product responsive to changes in the environment and art
education. Thus, an extension to the guide will be a Pinterest® page that will hold links as well as
be dynamic to what is new and trending in environmental issues as they pertain to art education.
Environmental Social Practice is a fully accessable digital reference that does not require the use
of paper, ink, or fuel for distribution. According to Best Colleges Online, Pinterest® has become
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a new favorite technology tool among educators to connect with other educators, get ideas for
classroom activities, and find inspiration (“37 ways,” 2012). Pinterest® is available on the web
and through a smart phone app, making it mobile and convenient. Among its millions of users,
university faculty are now using the interface as a way to share images and ideas with students,
for the curatorial processes and what Finchman (Glenn, 2012) calls ‘SPACE’ “S is for sourcing
story ideas and trending topics; P is for promotion and publishing students' work. A is for
aggregation of pictures; C is for curating top news, and E is for engaging with others.” Through a
dynamic journalistic view and process, ‘SPACE’ extends the guide dynamically and into the
future.
Research Questions
For my research project, I am guided by specific research questions. The three questions
below direct my research into the connection between environmental ethics, sustainability issues,
and art education by way of Social Practice as well as how to disseminate the findings in a
sustainable way.
1. How do we tackle contemporary environmental issues in Art Education programs using
Social Practice?
2. How does Social Practice differ from traditional object-based art education?
3. How can technology such as Pinterest®, a social media app, be used as a vehicle for
addressing environmental issues in Art Education?
Rationale and Significance of the Study
Social Practice is beneficial to art education as it integrates different strategies with the
purpose of creatively bringing about social change. Authors Blandy, Congdon & Krug (1998)
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stated the connection between art, art education, and ecological restoration as "a form of
stewardship; it is about working together to direct people's creative energies to heal fragile places
by cleaning up rivers, planting trees, detoxifying water and soil, and working with alternative
waste disposal and waste water systems in the natural environment and urban landscape" (p.
238). Stewardship engages integration and collaboration. Thus, the rationale for this project
stems from the belief that the environment can benefit from the integration and collaboration
between the arts, sciences, and other disciplines. Cross subject integration is not only key for
Environmental Social Practice, but is a fundamental component of art education.
Researchers like Lynch (2007) argue specifically that integrated curricula allow for
richer, more meaningful learning as they allow students to use their bodies, minds, and voices to
express meaning. In allowing students to be hands on in their learning, by making art (or in this
instance ecologically restoring), collaborating with others, and voicing their ideas, art educators
are empowering students to be responsible for their own learning. Specific to art education, art
educators use integrated curricula because it mimics the practices of contemporary artists,
showing that it often takes stepping outside the subject of art to successfully create a visual
representation of an idea.(Stewart & Walker, 2005). It is common in contemporary art that artists
research and reference biology, anthropology, history, environmental science, geography, etc. in
order to make their social / political points.
This project is of significance to art educators not only because of its innovative support
of environmental activism as a method of art education, but because it also bridges newer
technology (ISSUUTM and Pinterest®) with relevant environmental and art education information.
The research engages innovation as it also addresses environmental ethics. The online guide
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provides the introduction while Pinterest®’s online ‘pinboards’ can save web content from photos
to blogs and can be easily accessed whether on computer, smartphone, or iPad making this
information not only current but readily available via a popular technological tool (see Figure 1).
Assumptions
To begin, this project suggests that art teachers put object-making secondary and not as
the primary focus; thus, I assume that art educators will be open-minded or receptive to an art
practice which does not emphasize making objects. In addition, I assume that teachers will
understand that moving away from object making might present challenges for them as
traditional school culture (administrators, parents, and even students) may be uncomfortable
deviating from traditional art practices. My capstone is composed of all digital components,
using the websites ISSUUTM and Pinterest®. I assume that art educators have access to a
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Figure 1. Environmental Social Practice page for iPhone.
computer, smart phone, and/or iPad in order to access the ISSUUTM and Pinterest® webpages.
Additionally, I assume that art educators reference ISSUUTM for art education periodicals or, if
not, that my online guide will come up in GoogleTM web engine searches for environmental art
education, sustainability, art education, or environmental issues in art education. Finally, I
assume art educators know of the existence of Pinterest® and use it to search for art education
information.
Definition of Terms
Environmental Ethics. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (2011) defines
environmental ethics as “the discipline in philosophy that studies the moral relationship of
human beings to, and also the value and moral status of, the environment and its nonhuman
contents” (Brennan & Lo, 2011).
Sustainability. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (n.d.),
sustainability is “Everything that we need for our survival and well-being depends, either directly
or indirectly, on our natural environment. Sustainability creates and maintains the conditions
under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony, that permit fulfilling the social,
economic and other requirements of present and future generations” (What is Sustainability?,
para. 1).
Environmental Art Education. Hilary Inwood (2010), university art educator, defines
Environmental Art Education (or eco-art education as she calls it) as the integration of “art
education with environmental education as a means of developing awareness of and engagement
with concepts such as interdependence, biodiversity, conservation, restoration, and
sustainability” (para. 4)
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Social Practice. According to the California College of the Arts (2012) Social Practice
uses themes such as aesthetics, ethics, collaboration, and social activism (among others) to
engage art in social issues and into the public arena (Overview, para. 1).
Literature Review
Literature for this project started with searches on environmental art education and Social
Practice. Scholarship on Environmental Social Practice as it relates to art education is scarce,
however, there is research within the context of social activism and the benefits and importance
of social activism as a method of teaching art education. Additionally, there is scholarship on the
importance of ecological and environmental connections to art education. The lack of
information on Environmental Social Practice coupled with significant literature on climate
change and the state of the planet led me to believe that more research and scholarship was
needed on the topic of Environmental Social Practice within the context of environmental art
education.
The State of the Environment
Literature on the state of the environment ranged from government sources such as the
United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Democratic National Committee, to
reporters such as Matt Richtel from the New York Times. I specifically chose not to overwhelm
this project with excessively complicated scientific data on climate change, but rather wanted to
bring to light the mainstream effort and attention paid to sustainability issues and the
environment both nationally and locally. The Democratic National Committee (2012) platform
revealed that climate change is not only of importance but considered “one of the biggest threats
of this generation.” This platform came in time to see the Northeast devastated in October 2012
ART AND SOCIAL PRACTICE 15
by the rare Hurricane, turned super storm, Sandy. New York City’s Mayor Michael Bloomberg,
after viewing the devastation in his city, noted the importance with which government needs to
regard climate change, writing,
The floods and fires that swept through our city left a path of destruction that will require
years of recovery and rebuilding work. ... In just 14 months, two hurricanes have forced
us to evacuate neighborhoods — something our city government had never done before.
If this is a trend, it is simply not sustainable. Our climate is changing. And while the
increase in extreme weather we have experienced in New York City and around the world
may or may not be the result of it, the risk that it might be — given this week’s
devastation — should compel all elected leaders to take immediate action. (Harper, 2012,
para. 1)
In following this sense of urgency, Richtel (2012) reported for The New York Times that
communities are starting to not only take notice, but pass drastic legislation to curb waste, such
as San Francisco’s new ordinance banning all plastic bags.
Environmentalism in Art Education
Scholarship on environmentalism, sustainability, and art education promote
environmental consideration, however, few scholars from my literature review call for activism
and environmental restoration. A leading researcher in the field of Environmental Social Practice
in art education, Blandy (2011) supports participatory environmental restoration, or activism, as
a necessary method for addressing environmental issues in art education. Similarly, Hicks (2007)
also expresses the importance of physically working with and restoring the environment as art
education. She states, “place can also be re-created by a public process that restores ecological
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health, while building social justice, community, and democratic engagement” (p. 335). Blandy
and Hick’s scholarship is pivotal to the purpose of this capstone as their research emphasizes the
distinct difference between art object-making and Social Practice, giving precedence to activism
as an ethically responsible method of addressing environmental issues. In contrast, other
researchers such as Rademaekers (2011) believe that the sustainability movement needs art to
survive as material practice and sticks with traditional object-making as a preferred method.
What is Social Practice?
Fletcher (2011) and Blandy (2011) are two scholars in art education who give an
insightful view into Social Practice within art education. Blandy (2011) offers examples, of what
he calls sustainability and participatory culture, in which art education explores bioregional
problems and physically contributes to solutions via ecological restoration. Particularly, one
program is The Sustainable Cities Initiative at the University of Oregon which partners the
University with one city per year to find sustainable city design solutions. Fletcher (2011) goes
further, discussing the Art and Social Practice MFA program at Portland State University (PSU).
His speech, Art, Society, and Sustainability describes field trips and experiential learning that
merge art and environmental activism. Furthermore, he highlights the difference between Social
Practice and traditional studio work, giving examples of student projects that emphasize
collaboration between art and environmentalism. While Blandy’s writing is theoretical in its
coverage of ecological restoration, Fletcher details examples of what constitutes Social Practice.
Beyond Blandy and Fletcher, my literature search on scholarship linking Social Practice to
environmental art education is nonexistent.
Methodology
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My research will focus primarily on three themes; environmental ethics (and by extension
environmental issues), sustainability, and Social Practice. I used a combination of research
methods, specifically, both historical and philosophical inquiry to learn about these themes and
put together the online guide and Pinterest® page.
According to authors Koroscik, J., & Kowalchuk (1997), historical inquiry involves
collecting, evaluating, and interpreting data related to past events. For this project, I collected
information on the history of environmental art education, what has been done in the past, as
well as searches for Environmental Social Practice projects, and evaluated their connection with
art education.
Philosophical inquiry, as a research method, according to Koroscik, J., & Kowalchuk
(1997), uses “[t]he analysis of key features of a concept or discipline with the purpose of adding
to or articulating relevant paradigm within the field” (p. 80). For the purposes of this project, I
collected information on environmental issues and sustainability within the field of art education
with a specific focus on articulating the relevance of Social Practice as a method for addressing
environmental and sustainability issues in art education.
The research is needed as curricula that aim to address environmental and sustainability
issues with tribute-type art objects or recycle art materials, are not actively participating in
environmental improvement. It is critical that art educators address the human connection to the
environment and examine Social Practice as a method with which art education can inspire
change.
Specifically as it pertains to the online guide, I researched the following areas:
• Definitions of environmental ethics, sustainability, and social practice.
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• Content that links environmental ethics and sustainability to art education.
• The history of art education with regards to environmental projects.
• Current practices in Social Practice education with connections to art education.
• Environmental social practice projects that connect sustainability to art.
This research was conducted through searching written articles, published interviews,
books, scholarly publications, lectures, videos, and content on existing Art & Social Practice
programs in higher education. Searches were conducted on JSTOR, EBSCO, and Google search
engines as well as the University of Oregon’s Architecture and Allied Arts Library. In addition, I
obtained permission from the artists referred to in this paper, Katherine Ball and Newton and
Mayer Harrison, for use of all images pertaining to their work contained herein.
For the Pinterest® page on Environmental Social Practice, I researched web content (text,
images, and videos) of the following:
• Current Social and Political content on environmental issues.
• Art education projects on environmental issues and sustainability.
• Professional Social Practice projects that address the environment and sustainability.
• Images related to environmental ethics, sustainability, and environmental art.
• Blogs on environmental art, environmental ethics, and environmental art education.
Data Analysis Procedures
First, in order to find out how to tackle contemporary environmental issues in Art
Education programs using Social Practice, I used historical inquiry as a research method to
gather historical context and provide an overview of art education’s historical strategies toward
addressing environmental issues. Data resulting from this research was processed and compiled
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into a narrative, reporting a sequence of events on environmental art education’s history.
Next, in suggesting that art educators adopt Social Practice as a method for addressing
environmental and sustainability issues, I conducted philosophical inquiry research which
required analyzing features of environmental issues, sustainability, environmental ethics, and
Social Practice. I took the information and analyzed for relevance to art education.
Limitations
This research project did not intend to include human subjects or personal observations of either
Social Practice projects or art educational programs. The project is exploratory in nature meant to
introduce art educators to Environmental Social Practice. Not using human subjects limits the
possibility of seeing Environmental Social Practice in the classroom. Future research on
environmental issues and sustainability in art education via Social Practice would benefit from
first hand observations of Environmental Social Practice curricula, case studies, and analyzing
human subjects involved in Environmental Social Practice projects.
Social Practice is not solely limited to environmentalism, however this project is. It is
possible that this limits my research as Social Practice is expansive and includes several different
areas of social justice which may be applicable to broader themes in art education beyond
environmentalism.
Findings
The goal of this project was to create online resources on Environmental Social Practice
for art educators. The main research question I addressed was how to tackle contemporary
environmental issues in Art Education programs using Social Practice. Consequently, I
challenged traditional art education thinking to consider activism, by way of Social Practice,
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when teaching environmental issues.
The findings are divided into two sections. The first section highlights a range of
professional artist projects that employ Social Practice.The projects in the first section may seem
beyond the scope of what can be accomplished in a classroom setting; thus, the second section
puts said projects into context by suggesting adaptations that make Social Practice doable at a
K-12 level.
Social Practice Examples
Readers may recall as established earlier in this paper that Social Practice involves
engaging art in addressing social issues by using (to varying degrees) aesthetics, ethics,
collaboration, and social activism (among others). Below are samples of projects that used Social
Practice to address environmental issues. While there are countless other samples of
environmental Social Practice work I could have used, these projects were particularly touching
for me because of their commitment to the environment. The artists highlighted in the subsequent
sections went above and beyond traditional studio work to spark social change.
No Swimming. Katherine Ball is a great example of an artist who chooses to employ
ecological activism and social engagement in her work ("Art and Social Practice," n.d.). In 2011,
Katherine’s project on Indianapolis Island (in conjunction with the Indianapolis Museum of Art),
titled No Swimming, took her on a six-week-long residency aboard a floating self-sustainable
igloo-like structure (see Figure 2) to ecologically intervene and clean the 100 Acres Lake of
E.coli and toxic waste from illegal dumping ("Art and Social Practice," n.d.). After scientifically
researching clean water methods and consulting with clean water specialists, she constructed a
mycoboom, a long burlap sack filled with straw and inoculated with mushroom spawn. The
ART AND SOCIAL PRACTICE 21
mushroom spawn (see Figure 3) created a web within the straw which then acts as a filter, thus
cleaning the water (Ball, 2011).
In addition, Ball wanted to educate the community, involving them in the process of
cleaning their water system by welcoming regular visitors, holding tours, and workshops (see
ART AND SOCIAL PRACTICE 22
Figure 2. Katherine Ball aboard her row boat on the 100 Acres Lake.
Figure 3. Oyster mushrooms growing off of the mycoboom and cleaning the water.
Figure 4). She taught children and adults about the environmental issues within the 100 Acres
Lake, why clean water is important, and how to check water for bacteria, etc (Ball, 2010).
No Swimming solidifies Fletcher’s distinction between Social Practice versus traditional
object-based work. Ball had to collaborate to make several objects, from the Igloo structure to
the mycoboom sacks. However, as Fletcher points out:
the objects are designed to function as having a utility within a greater project that has
some other goal other than a commercial one. Commerciality is deemphasized. You still
might make an object, but they are at the service of a larger project with a different
concept other than commercial sale. (Fletcher, 2011)
Ecological intervention within the lake served a greater purpose than the objects Ball
made. Moreover, her inclusion of the community stresses the importance of participatory
ART AND SOCIAL PRACTICE 23
Figure 4. One of the weekly community workshops Katherine held along the lake.
learning experiences, those in which the community (not just the artist) are involved and learn
from the project. Blandy (2011) describes participatory culture as necessary to art because there
is strong support for sharing what an artist creates with others and even mentoring, or passing
along experiences to novices.
Solutions Revolution. Unsatisfied with simply writing to their local officials and hoping
for legislation on climate change, artists Katherine Ball and Alec Neal of SEA Change in
Portland, Oregon and environmentalist Paul Thompson of Cool Planet Edina, Minnesota set out
on a cross country bike journey (see Figure 5) to film local communities actively working on
solving climate issues ("Solutions Revolution," n.d.). The project, entitled Solutions Revolution,
started in Portland, OR and ended in Washington, D.C., stopping in several cities and
documenting innovative solutions and programs that employ homegrown local solutions and
sharing them with legislators in D.C.. The route was made public and the artists encouraged
ART AND SOCIAL PRACTICE 24
Figure 5. Riding through an oil derrick in Montana.
people to join them and participate in the ride for as long as they wished (see Figure 6).
After the bike trip, Katherine and Alec went to Cancun, Mexico for the United Nations
Climate Change Conference where they volunteered and shared their findings with U.N.
ART AND SOCIAL PRACTICE 25
Figure 6.Riding through the Walker Sculpture Garden in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Figure 7. Documenting the journey of communities’ programs to solve climate change.
delegates ("Solutions Revolution," n.d.). Katherine and Alec’s determination to spread the
message of climate change not only through their documentary (see Figure 7) but in meeting
with delegates at the United Nations shows a commitment to what Blandy calls performing
democracy. He quotes John Dewey in stating, “[d]emocracy is performed by working with
others, building consensus, designing inclusive discussions, resolving conflict, acting on
common concerns, and planning for the future” (Blandy, 2011, p. 10).
Greenhouse Britain. Newton and Helen Harrison are some of the pioneers of eco-art.
According to Boetzkes (2010) “[t]hrough their collaboration with scientists, engineers,
architects, and other specialists, in sustainable development, the artists have attempted to narrow
the gap between the labor or restoration and aesthetic appreciation of the living environment” (p.
196).
The Harrisons’ project, Greenhouse Britain (2007-2009), aimed to find design solutions
to an alternative landscape as waters rise and populations seek to move inland and live more
sustainably (Greenhouse Britain, n.d., para. 2). Figure 8 shows the impact of flooding as
ART AND SOCIAL PRACTICE 26
Figure 8. How the rising waters displace people.
projected by how many people would be displaced given different rises in water levels. Whereas
Ball and Neal had specific real-time problems with which to contend in No Swimming and
Solutions Revolution, the Harrisons focused on proactive design solutions to potential
environmental problems, specifically, rising waters due to global warming. The exhibition,
Mayer & Harrison (2007) note, was to generate thinking and design around four key issues:
ART AND SOCIAL PRACTICE 27
Figure 9. Eco Tower for high-rise living.
(1) [m]oving some percentage of millions of people to high ground, (2) [c]reating
appropriate habitat for them while looking at creating a more carbon sequestering
landscape, (3) [m]oving endangered means of production to high ground, and (4)
[p]roducing the amount of energy necessary to do so when low ground power plants
become dysfunctional from flooding (p. 13).
While this project seems more like traditional artwork in that it is an exhibition to be
viewed in museums; it falls under the guidelines of social practice in that it combines aesthetics,
ethics, collaboration and social activism. The Harrisons collaborated with scientists and
architects in devising plans for the withdrawal of populations displaced by rising waters
(Boetzkes, 2010, p. 199). Boetzkes (2010) notes that one of the phases of the Greenhouse Britain
project is the design of an eco-tower (see Figure 9), a high rise city encased in a tower that
“would hold schools, offices, shops, and public spaces at its base and gardens and two-story
apartments in the upper floors, and each would be topped with a wind turbine” (p. 199). Each
tower would house fifteen thousand people.
It is important to note that design can play an important function in Social Practice when
physical activism is not yet possible, i.e., when educators cannot take students outdoors to work
or have access to a local environmental issue in which to become involved. This need not deter
educators from pursuing Social Practice. Hicks and King (2007) discuss the importance of first
being able to confront the possibility of environmental collapse. Thus, projects like the
Harrisons’ are important because they bring awareness to the looming threat of flooding and as
Hicks and King (2007) put it, “help guide human beings towards a more informed and
responsible engagement with the natural world” (p. 332). They also state that the arts (e.g.,
ART AND SOCIAL PRACTICE 28
Greenhouse Britain) “can help us to develop a sophisticated awareness of how our place is
created not just by the ecological processes of nature, but also by the human narratives and
practices that integrate civic life into the biotic community” (Hicks & King, 2007, p. 335). Thus,
the investigational nature of design and design thinking can be just as beneficial to the
environment as is working with nature directly.
Social Practice in the classroom
The examples above are a variety of Social Practice projects. It is understood that in a
K-12 setting, it may not be possible for teachers to go off campus, have access to
environmentally destroyed land on-site, or even the permission from administration to pursue
activism-type projects. However, Social Practice is still possible in the classroom as the projects
above can be adapted for K-12 education. The following subsections give examples of ways
K-12 educators might adapt these examples to the classroom. The examples range from full
involvement in environmental activities with nature, to more subdued activities emphasizing
design and problem solving. The range of student and teacher involvement provides different
options for teachers who may have access to the outdoors or natural material, or those who might
be in highly urban areas and need to stay inside.
No Swimming is an example of creatively using scientific research and collaboration with
experts to achieve a greater goal, clean water. While students may not have access to a dirty lake,
they can have an in-class unit of study on environmentalism and water issues. A teacher can (in
possible collaboration with the science department and local water experts) guide students to
study the affects of contaminated water and do smaller experiments on cleaning water using
plants and/or mushrooms. Students can document the process of cleaning smaller tubs of water
ART AND SOCIAL PRACTICE 29
via photography, documentary film-making, blogs, and even class webpages. Conclusively,
students can then present their findings, photographs, documentary film, etc to administrators,
other students, or parents.
Solutions Revolution involves documenting the process of fact-finding as Ball, Neal, and
Thompson take their cross-country bike tour in search of communities that are actively engaging
in sustainable activities. While students in a traditional K-12 setting most likely do not have the
possibility of doing this, there is nothing to suggest they cannot actively learn more about how
their community is addressing sustainability and environmental issues. Furthermore, students can
take their findings via documentary filmmaking or photography and present them to their local
city council. Active involvement in the political process for the benefit of the environment is
Social Practice. Organizations like the Brooklyn Children’s Museum’s Green Threads program
aim to teach educators exactly how to teach students about the environment and conservationism
(Brooklyn Children’s Museum, 2012). Green Threads has a published in-depth guide, “My
Green Community: An Educator Guide,” in which they cover ways to take students into the
community and observe environmental challenges such as water issues, waste management, food
production, energy consumption, and wildlife conservation (Brooklyn Children’s Museum,
2012). This guide shows that Social Practice is viable in a K-12 setting.
Greenhouse Britain is unlike the other two projects in section one because it employs
design thinking to address environmental problems that have not yet occurred. For more
traditional art educators who may be uncomfortable with abandoning object-making and adding
activism into their curriculum, Greenhouse Britain is a good example of how simple design and
design thinking can aim to find solutions to environmental issues and connect students with their
ART AND SOCIAL PRACTICE 30
environment. Students can follow the example of the Harrisons by exploring the possible
ecological dangers to their community, or even just their school, should waters rise or climates
change. The recent Hurricane Sandy in the Northeast is a sobering reminder that any coastline is
vulnerable to flooding. Art educators can encourage students to study the physical structure of
their school or homes and come up with design solutions that would better protect their
community or school from environmental dangers. Similar to the eco-tower the Harrisons’
designed, students can consult with local builders or architects to design safer structures.
Summary Across all Findings
The main research question in this paper asked how to tackle contemporary
environmental issues in Art Education programs using Social Practice. The findings, three
different environmental Social Practice projects, show how contemporary artists tackle real-life
and potential environmental problems using activism. The link between these projects (No
Swimming, Solutions Revolution, and Greenhouse Britain) and the research question of doable
work at the K-12 level comes with the adaptations I set forth above. All three projects above are
broad in scheme and demand collaboration and extensive resources to achieve. It certainly is no
small feat to bike across the country, live isolated on a floating igloo, or design the fate of
millions displaced by rising water. However, the adaptations all take a broad scope and narrow it
down to a local community level; asking students to study water issues in their classrooms,
explore their immediate communities for environmental problems, and design safer structures to
aid their school (or home) in the event of rising water or other natural disasters.
Discussion and Conclusion
The goal of this research was to address environmental and sustainability issues in art
ART AND SOCIAL PRACTICE 31
education by challenging traditional object-making and suggesting Social Practice as an
alternative method. This project stemmed from a combination of a scarcity of scholarship on
Social Practice with an abundance of scholarship on the pressing urgency of climate change and
the importance of environmentalism in art education. Human interaction with nature is an
important enduring idea, emphasizing meaningful connections with the environment and
allowing students to explore their sense of place.
I used a combination of both historical and philosophical inquiry research methods to
explore environmental ethics and issues, sustainability, and Social Practice. I found three
environmental Social Practice projects with a wide range of differences in necessary materials
and physical involvement. The results of my research were made into an online guide published
on ISSUUTM (see Figure 10) and an ongoing environmental Social Practice page on Pinterest®
ART AND SOCIAL PRACTICE 32
Figure 10. A screenshot of one of the pages of the online publication, the rest of which is available at http://issuu.com/c_reese/docs/reese_publication_pdf_nov24_singlepage?mode=window&backgroundColor=%23222222 and at carolinareeseart.com
(see Figure 11). For added exposure and search-ability, I have also included links to both pages
on my personal teaching website, carolinareeseart.com. The following discussion addresses
strategies and recommendations for art educators wishing to incorporate Environmental Social
Practice into their curriculum.
Discussion and Interpretation of Findings
Based on the findings of my research, environmental Social Practice for K-12 education
is fascinating unchartered territory. It is unchartered because the lack of scholarship on
environmental Social Practice in K-12 art education creates a challenge in promoting a different
methodology than solely focused object-making. Given the discourse on climate change and the
continued pressure on government to curb carbon emissions and look for alternative fuel sources,
sustainability and the environment will continue to permeate the classroom.
ART AND SOCIAL PRACTICE 33
Figure 11. Environmental Social Practice on Pinterest, which is available at http://pinterest.com/CarolinaReese/environmental-social-practice/ and carolinareeseart.com .
I found three Social Practice projects that address environmental issues in three different
ways; No Swimming physically intervenes with an existing environmental problem, Solutions
Revolution takes an exploratory and documentary look at climate change solutions and presents
those to legislators, and Greenhouse Britain takes a preventive approach to climate change
dangers by designing alternate living scenarios for millions of displaced citizens. The wide
spectrum of Social Practice work means there is a variety of ways for art educators to either dip
their toes in the activist waters or dive right in.
Significance, Implications, and Recommendations
With the lack of scholarship on environmental Social Practice in art education and
teachers’ limited time to thoroughly research new methodologies in the field (planning time
never seems long enough) the online guide and the Pinterest® page serve to be significant
resources on Social Practice in art education. Both resources are designed for time-crunched
educators who are in search of easily accessible information on environmental art education.
However, projects with significant environmental goals and impacts can seem overwhelming,
leaving teachers to wonder how they can make large projects doable within their schools.
Having taught in public elementary and high school, I understand that proposing new or
different methods of curriculum is not easy and can be met with resistance or trepidation. The
implications of the findings within this research mean approaching school administrators,
parents, and students with lessons that may not involve traditional art object making. I encourage
art educators to prepare themselves with information not just from my research but from
scholarship that shows the benefits of activism and the need for environmental education at the
K-12 level.
ART AND SOCIAL PRACTICE 34
To start, Stewart and Walker’s Rethinking Curriculum in Art discusses how meaningful
learning involves enduring ideas, meaningful integration, and mimicking contemporary art
methods (Steward & Walker, 2005, p.108). The authors explain that contemporary artists often
“cross knowledge boundaries as part of their artmaking practice” (Steward & Walker, 2005, p.
110). This means art educators can take the opportunity to partner with their school’s science
department and incorporate scientific practice and research into their Social Practice lessons.
Inter-department collaboration, specifically in today’s climate that values science as a core
subject, is a good way to open the door to acceptance of Social Practice. In addition, books like
Teaching Meaning in Artmaking emphasize that by teaching big ideas (of which nature is a part)
they are instilling relevance and personal connections between students and their work (Walker,
2001, p. 1). Furthermore, community involvement and activism to help our environment fits in
line with service learning and all the benefits that come with it. While service learning is a topic
for another paper, there are similarities in the benefits students gain from activism. According to
the Hands On Network (2012) there are numerous benefits to service projects that are tied to
school lessons, some of which include:
• Service learning can enhance personal development in areas such as self esteem,
moral reasoning, social skills, communication skills, problem-solving abilities and
concern for others and society
• Involvement in service learning makes the subject matter in school real and relevant
for students as they try out their knowledge and skills
• When young people serve others, they can see that they are valued and can make a
real difference
ART AND SOCIAL PRACTICE 35
• As young people discover their own abilities to address issues, they are empowered
to become active citizens and communities begin to see them in a different light
• Young people learn leadership skills as they take responsibility for designing and
implementing service experiences. (para. 3)
The tide is changing as higher education institutions increasingly provide concentrations
of study in Social Practice. As of 2012, the first art college opened an environmental social
practice undergraduate concentration option. According to The Maryland Institute College of Art
(MICA) (2012) its Sustainability & Social Practice program “gives students the opportunity to
contribute to a fine arts discourse around environmental and urban issues, and to pursue new
knowledge as they discover ways to engage the concepts of sustainability through social
engagement” (para. 3). MICA (2012) emphasizes Social Practice as an important part of its
academic offerings because:
Arts and social organizations, government and the business community will require
participation and creative problem solving from artists and designers as they move
toward ecologically- and socially-responsible practices. Students in the program can go
on to work for architectural and urban planning firms, form socially-engaged
collaborative art groups, or work in urban agriculture, among many other possibilities.
(para. 3)
Once teachers have approval to add environmental Social Practice to their curriculum, it
is imperative that they plan accordingly. If working outdoors, nature can be slow or
unpredictable, and thus teachers should know planting and harvesting schedules and adjust for
changes in weather. Accordingly, teachers may want to start the unit at the beginning of the
ART AND SOCIAL PRACTICE 36
semester or year, giving plants, observations, etc. enough time to grow or change and revisit it
after the appropriate time has passed. Teachers should research the plants they might be using
and refrain from any which may cause allergic reactions to students or possibly be invasive to
other local plant life. While working with mushrooms spores is safe, teachers should be aware of
any students with chronic asthma and make accommodations for them. If working indoors, either
documenting, photographing, or otherwise, the necessary equipment should be available and
enough time given for environmental change to take place. For example, if the class is doing a
clean water project using mushrooms or plants, these elements need a certain amount of time to
grow, cultivate and clean the water. Finally, teachers should be prepared for projects to possibly
fail. Despite research, experiments come with risk and not all succeed. Katherine Ball mentioned
that the mushrooms were not a silver bullet to clean the lake and she continued to research a
plant/mushroom combination (personal communication, October 31, 2012).
Going forward I would like to see more case study research on what Environmental
Social Practice looks like in the classroom. Further research needs to be done on the practical
application of Environmental Social Practice in a K-12 setting.
Conclusion
Before starting this project, I recycled, turned out the lights when I left the room, and
drove a hybrid, all the makings of an environmentalist. After viewing Dr. Fletcher’s speech at
PSU I came to the realization that I should be doing more, specifically within my classroom. I
hope this project proves to be eye-opening for other art educators as well. We may not be able to
live on a floating igloo or ride cross-country, but there is definitely more we can do to expose our
students to the significance of climate change. The artists included in this project, Ball, Alec, &
ART AND SOCIAL PRACTICE 37
The Harrisons, all exemplify the potential to become the change we wish to see in our planet.
Now is the time to advocate for Social Practice within our curriculum and adapt what we have
seen in this project and on the Environmental Social Practice Pinterest page to bring
environmental activism to our students.
ART AND SOCIAL PRACTICE 38
References
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ART AND SOCIAL PRACTICE 42
List of Figures and Figure Captions
1. ...............................................................Environmental Social Practice page for iPhone. 13
2. ............................................Katherine Ball aboard her row boat on the 100 Acres Lake. 22
3. ......................Oyster mushrooms growing off of the mycoboom and cleaning the water. 22
4. .....................One of the weekly community workshops Katherine held along the lake. 23
5. .........................................................................Riding through an oil derrick in Montana 24
6. .......................Riding through the Walker Sculpture Garden in Minneapolis, Minnesota 25
7. ...............Documenting the journey of communities’ programs to solve climate change. 25
8. .............................................................................How the rising waters displace people. 26
9. ........................................................................................Eco Tower for high-rise living. 27
10. A screenshot of one of the pages of the online publication, the rest of which is available at
http://issuu.com/c_reese/docs/reese_publication_pdf_nov24_singlepage?
mode=window&backgroundColor=%23222222 ................ and at carolinareeseart.com 32
11. Environmental Social Practice on Pinterest, which is available at http://pinterest.com/
CarolinaReese/environmental-social-practice/ ...................... and carolinareeseart.com . 33
ART AND SOCIAL PRACTICE 43
Author Biography
Carolina Reese was born in Bogota, Colombia and moved to the United States when she
was 4 years old. Her path to Art Education is unorthodox but brings with it experience from
several different fields. She holds a Bachelors in Business Administration in International
Finance and Marketing from the University of Miami. It was during her undergraduate studies
that she discovered a love of art, studying art history abroad at the American University of Paris
and completing an internship at Christie’s Fine Art Auctioneers. After working as a Private
Banker for a few years, Carolina changed careers and attended New School University’s Parsons
School of Design where she obtained an Associate Degree in Fashion Design. She worked as an
Assistant Buyer for Macy’s until the loss of her husband, George, and single motherhood forced
a career change due to the extensive travel. A fortuitous opportunity to teach art at a local
elementary school arose and became the start of an exciting career. After two years of teaching
elementary art, Carolina chose to expand her teaching skills and enrolled in the University of
Florida’s Masters of Art Education program.
Happily remarried, Carolina, her husband David and daughter Isabella now reside in
Eugene, Oregon. In addition to Art Education, she works as a photographer, specializing in
sports documentary photography. She is interested in Social Practice and how activism in social
issues plays a role in art education. After graduation, Carolina hopes to expand on her knowledge
of Social Practice and is considering a PhD.
ART AND SOCIAL PRACTICE 44