Educators TOOLBOX
Art & Ecology


Art & Ecology

Photoessays: Art and the Earth



Terms and Definitions

by Dr. Don Krug

Dominion

Dominion is a view that humans should dominate nature. In art education, examples of this approach were prevalent in textbooks of the late 19th century that instructed students to reimagine and redesign nature in unique ways through their art. Today, this anthropocentric view of controlling the natural environment is still prevalent in some environmental art projects that attempt to reshape natural spaces for the sake of urban renewal or public art premised strictly on order, beauty, and a purely formal aesthetic purpose.

Stewardship

Another view of environmental education has used scientific observation of nature as a means to affirm beliefs about caring for the natural world. Science and the arts have been combined and introduced to school children through nature study and outdoor education programs. Nature study is a form of stewardship that is concerned with both the aesthetic attributes of landscape design and a bioregions natural order. Urban improvement of the early 20th century, combined dominion with stewardship. There are many changing views in this area of environmental study. Some environmental design specialists have worked with educational and community groups to over control the constructed space, in attempting to produce and maintain a beautiful, harmonious physical environment. Some civic leaders have worked diligently to understand ecological relationships for achieving a careful balance between nature and constructed spaces.

Union and Sustainable Development

Union is about sustainable development. It is an approach to environmental education that strives to locate humans within the complex ecosystem of nature. Art and ecology premised on this perspective strives to understand the interdependency of all living organisms within particular environments through art. In art education, some environmental design educators have advocated for more inclusive approaches to integrated curricula that examines environmental issues through the study of art.

References

Stankiewicz, M.A. & Krug, D. (1997) Editorial: Art & Ecology (Special Theme Issue). Art Education. Reston, VA: NAEA. 50(6) 4-5.







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