Art and the Environment: An Interconnected Relationship

By: Grace Xie

How can you express your voice with art?Countless artists from prehistory to modern day have struggled and found answers to that question. In an age where there are so many methods to express your thoughts, exploring some examples might be the first step to finding your unique answer.

Environmental art is a broad category. It could range from painting to dance to earthwork to music to writing and still not encompass every possibility. However, every form is characterized by its environmental themes, whether it's their materials, location, content, or message. For example, earthwork often utilizes natural elements in its creation, whereas painters use theirbrushes and pigments.

During prehistory, the period before writing, civilizations created art with rudimentary supplies. One of the earliest examples of human expression in the world is the Apollo 11 Stones from the paleolithic period. They were created by an unknown artist with charcoal on stone and depict an unidentified animal form. Another example of early prehistoric artwork is the Great Hall of Bulls in Lascaux, France. They date back to 15,000-13,000 BCE and portray horses, bison, elk, and other animals. Whether their goal was to document their surroundings or depict mythical creatures, even the earliest civilizations have been inspired by their environment.

Even after prehistory, people continued to create environmental art. More recent artists, such as those of The Hudson River School, a mid-19th century art movement, have continued this tradition, albeit in a different style and intention. The Hudson River School was not a real art school; rather, it was a group of New York City-based landscape painters who sought to depict the grandeur and beauty of the American Landscape. They included famous painters such as Thomas Cole and Frederic Church. In particular, Thomas Cole was considered the leader of such a movement. His painting The Oxbow illustrates a famous bend in the Connecticut River. On the left, wild and untamed vegetation grows to create a sublime atmosphere that proves nature is dangerous but awe-inspiring. However, on the right, men have subjugated nature for their pastoral land. Animals graze, boats sit in the water, and smoke rises from chimneys. Cole’s moral message in this painting revolves around man’s changing relationship with the environment as manifest destiny encroaches on untouched land. However, the orderly civilization depicted in this drawing is a sharp contrast to more modern works that draw attention to the destruction of the natural environment.

Revival Field, by Mel Chin, is an exceptional example of art that is environmental in both its meaning and creation. Created in 1991 and still on display, Revival Field combines science and art to display the importance of the environment to the future. Chin plants hyperaccumulator plants to extract harmful metals from the soil. His installation criticizes humanity’s destruction of the natural environment, exemplifying environmental activism in art.

These artworks portray the development of environmental art and broad motivations one might draw on. Everyday people can learn from past and current artists to showcase their unique voice and beliefs to a wider audience. As environmental issues worsen, now is better than ever to contribute to environmental activism. There are endless artistic possibilities to undertake– one only has to begin.