Baichwal, J. (Director). Manufactured Landscapes. (2006).
With very little discussion, the movie depicts the outcome of the technological revolution in China – portrayed by the vastness and immensity of the images. When one quietly observes ‘the manufactured landscapes’ presented in the movie – it is simply hard to express in words the silent impact on the viewer. The power of the lens enables us to perceive the images on a global scale that are overwhelming and startling. Starting with the opening scene, we are trapped in a pictorial delight of viewing China through the magnifying glass of Edward Burtynsky, who envelops the viewer with a simple, yet moving view of China. The introductory discourse shows his concern for the harm that has been done to nature, “we come from nature, so if we destroy nature, we destroy ourselves.” He continues emphasizing this topic by saying that we need “to have a reverence for what nature is” – during which we are looking at a massive factory. The dichotomy of nature and the exponential growth is an incessant theme that runs through the movie, provoking our visual and intellectual capacities. For a human mind, it is almost impossible to perceive the magnitude of the changes that have happened due to the economic progress in China. The city of Shanghai is an example of a spontaneous combustion that arose in a record pace. Does this monumental process of change have a limit? Can our planet survive our rapid development? These are the questions that are implicitly and explicitly posed by Burtynsky who does not want the movie to carry a political message, as he tries to create a “new way of thinking” about our actions.
Blessing, T. (Producer), & Morgan, F. (Director). (2006). The Power of the Community: How Cuba Survived Peak Oil.
There has been a lot of speculation about peak oil. As we have become technologically advanced, we have also become completely dependent on oil. This movie provides an example of a community that persevered in a creative way in a situation of peak oil. As Cuba became dependant on oil and food, mostly supplied by the Soviet Union – the Cuban citizens had lost around half of the oil supply and around eighty percent of food supply. As it was unexpectedly cut off from these essential resources due to a collapse of the Soviet Union – the crisis was inevitable. The movie depicts the struggle of the Cubans to relearn how to be self-sustainable. One of the main strategies that they relied on was communities and trying to achieve things together. Their accomplishments came from relying on the natural resources and concentrating their efforts on organic farming and urban gardening. As these methods started spreading in Cuba, many people have become the facilitators and held workshops to educate others on organic farming techniques. As an outcome, urban gardening became a ubiquitous phenomenon, where people would take up any plot of land and try to utilize it for gardening.
Cuba is the first country to face peak oil and to overcome this crisis – it has shown people that it can be done. This crisis has enabled Cuba to create a movement toward self-sustainability and our country has a good example to follow. As peak oil is a threat to the world, we all can benefit from the Cuban creativity and drive to persevere and unite in the face of crisis.
Branagan, M. (2005). Environmental education, activism, and the arts. Convergence, 38(4), 33-50.
The article begins with a strong introduction which presents a serious dilemma – whose responsibility is it to spread the knowledge about the global environmental crisis and how can we involve more people in this delicate matter. As an answer, Branagan looks to arts to find a solution “to enliven environmental education through a variety of creative media and to engage large sections of the populace” (p. 33). In the article he defines environmental education and explicitly conveys how the arts can help in various ways to help the environmental dilemma.
The article is very well researched as the author cites many sources in his work. He refers how arts can “assist in multi-skilling, enhancing the grasp of difficult concepts, aiding memory retention, extending attention spans, increasing concentration and enjoyment of learning” (Dickinson, 2002, as cited in Branagan, 2005, p. 35). He draws on each artistic method, providing clear explanations how they can build and improve particular skills. One of the powerful statements in the article about arts is “their ability to communicate complex information in simple, but powerful ways” (p. 36). He further goes on to explain how complicated information can become burdensome, but the arts are able to rely on images, performances, and songs which can have a greater impact on the audience. As many people in the world are illiterate, artistic performances are a great way to stir people and create unity. In addition, Branagan explains how the arts expose the marketing and corporate interests which shift our attention away from the real problems (p. 38). Many people are influenced by what they see on TV and are not aware of many problems that are ocurring. Another important aspect of the arts is that it is a non-violent movement, “even under enormous pressure and provocation” (p. 39).
Clark, J.E. (2008). Sustainability theatre. Environment, 50(5), 6-7.
In this article George Clark depicts a link between theatre, action and sustainability. Personally, having recently taken a course in Applied Theatre, this article resonated with my understanding of theatre and its power. In the introduction, he makes an ingenious connection: the heart and the mind. Theatre impacts us in a personal and dynamic way, where we are interacting with our heart and our mind. “Because theater can also impart technical information and encourage action, it addresses one of the most notorious challenges of the sustainability project: moving people from the status quo to sustainability action” (p. 6). He uses the research obtained from the November 2005 issue of Environment to show how people are not willing to make changes to their lives, especially those who are stricken with poverty, illiteracy and oppression. He believes that “changing our behavior in economic and personal realms is a key step toward sustainability” (p.6). As a solution, theatre provides that common ground for people to explore and question their behaviours. Currently called “Theatre for development (TfD),” it is widely used as a participatory development tool” (p. 6). Through theatre, engaging the communities via interactive roleplaying, with drama and discussion placed on various topics helps people relate to one another, creating a unifying force for everyone.
The author also cites many TfD projects that are currently undertaking “issues of human rights,
protection of the environment and human resources, protection of indigenous culture, arts and tradition” (p.6). One interesting aspect of his research reveals that there is not much information about TfD on the internet and brings to peoples’ attention that the spelling of the word ‘theatre’ may create another difficulty locating certain articles.
Denis, C. & Besson, L. (Producers), & Arthus-Bertrand, Y. (Director). (2009). Home. http://youtube.com/watch?v=jqxENMKaeCU
This movie shows an overview of how things started; it traces our beginnings, revealing the earth and its grandeur. The images of the vastness and diversity are shown side by side along with the revolutions that human kind has brought with its inventions. It provides a clear contrast of the planet that was, with the planet that is. It tells us how our impact has completely reshaped the planet, starting with agriculture, and now with our dependence on oil. “Our world’s clock now beats to the rhythm of indefatigable machines tapping into the pocket of sunlight.” As we have gained so many comforts, we have completely forgotten our interconnectedness with the environment. The actions that we have taken show that “we haven’t understood that we are depleting what nature provides.” The imagery of nature captivates the viewer and tries to create an awareness of our actions, by constantly probing our reality. One of the powerful messages that is repeated in the movie: “faster and faster” we have become a vicious consumer without any repercussions. However, as the movie depicts the factual information – we have conclusive evidence of the devastating outcomes of our insatiable wants. So can an environmental movement be started? In order to have an environmental change, one first has to realize how necessary it is. By juxtaposing our consumption with the destruction of natural habitat, one can see the chaos that we have brought upon the planet. “The more the world develops, the greater its thirst for energy.” Throughout the movie, the realization of the necessity of change is irrevocable.
Dewey, K. http://zigloo.ca Retrieved 20/06/2010.
Art and artistic expression can be seen in many ways. Some connections between the role of art and the environment are not made instantaneously. In the case of the zigloo project, the role of art comes from an architect who has devised a way to build with a sustainable solution in mind. His plan includes the use of shipping containers as the main material in order to save the forest and cut down our carbon footprint. On the web page Keith Dewey provides a few models of the projects that have been undertaken. His inventive and creative solution to the millions of shipping containers that have become useless is an attractive one which has spurred a lot of attention and has created a following. He created the zigloo domestique as a show home “to entice people to think differently about the way we live and to demonstrate that living sustainably doesn’t mean ‘living without.’ His thoughtful creation has generated many newspaper and magazine articles and web blogs.
His web page is another architectural creation, providing detailed information about the ongoing projects, proving the descriptions and the specifications. Under the ‘concepts’ tab on his page, he presents eight different models with various pictures. One of the models, “the voyage container condo” provides the buyer with an equivalent of time-share, which can be relocated to any location in the world. Most of the models feature a green roof, solar power, solar hot water, passive air circulation, grey water recycling, rain water harvesting. Some of the models are currently available for purchasing.
Essig, M. (2008). Portraits of grasses: A story of art and restoration from the Apache Highlands ecoregion. Ecological Restoration, 26(3), 206-214.
I have never thought about the importance of grasses, their impact or their role in the environment. This article presents an interesting attitude on grasses, when reading their description one can see the personification of grasses. “Compared to the giant arboreal glamour of tropical forests and the thorny ornateness of dessert species, the grasses are tiny and hard to see, almost shy in character” (Essig, p. 209). Her passion and involvement with grasses enables the person to envision an “astonishing new array of colors and textures that comprise the plant’s anatomy, inviting one to journey through a world that resonates intuitively with vitality, but also begs inquiry about form and function (p. 211). In her work, she wants the people to “discover that there is as much variation to this thing called grass as there is to humanity” (p. 211). Her project of bringing ecological restoration in the Apache Highlands ecoregion tries to “express the intentions of sustainable stewardship and inspire a sense of community” by trying to capture an image of grasses in their most expressive stage and portray their intricacies in an exhibition for that ecoregion. In her battle for ecological restoration, she has had to battle the idea of relying on high resolution image scanning, for its powerful representation. The images obtained are striking and as Matilda Essig points out, individual measures count. Her possible solution is to go back to the source with the technology of the future. She hopes to “restore the role of art as visionary vehicle in human civilization” (p. 207).
Garoian, C. R. (1998). Art education and the aesthetics of land use in the age of ecology. Studies in Art Education, 39(3), 244-261.
Charles Garoian, a former high school art teacher taught his students to “make sense of their world through art” (p. 244). In one of his classes during the week of landscape art, he thought of an interesting way for the students to interact with the art – to create a ‘drawing’ with a clump of earth that represented “a work of art.” This experiment brought interesting results: along with the earth-drawings, and an exhibition, there was a discussion. The discussion “challenged our aesthetic assumptions about what constitutes landscape art” (p. 244). In his research, he poses few pertinent and useful questions, two in particular caught my attention: “How do such lessons and more traditional ones influence the ways we perceive and relate to our environment? What impact can an art lesson have on environmental consciousness today?” (p. 245). After posing these questions, he refers in detail to five theories of western European canon of art that have shaped the way we view the environment. His in-depth exploration of the theories, drive him to conclude that “to sustain biodiversity requires an ecological pedagogy similar to one suggested by Bowers (1993), which consists of ‘metaphorical language that represents humans as interdependent members of a biotic community’ (p. 257). Furthermore, he alludes to the Native American cultures and uses them as an example of understanding the natural environment and living interdependently. At the end of the article, the author provides a five-step recommendation on how to introduce an ecological pedagogy for art educators. In his summary, he clearly defines what is needed in order to instill an ecological pedagogy. “To engender an art education of place where environmental diversity is possible requires an ecological pedagogy whose curricular metaphors are based on empathy, compassion, and caring for the land. Such art education pedagogy recognizes the community-based experiences of students as a complement to that of the teacher's curriculum” (p. 260).
Lai, A. & Ball, E. L. (2002). Home is where the art is: Exploring the places people live through art education. Studies in Art Education, 44(1), 47-66.
The article begins with a catchy phrase: “Think globally, art locally.” In this article the authors assert that due to pressures of globalization and environmental change, our own homes have become “a growing concern,” as the quality of the community life and the relationship to the land have been altered (p. 47). “Bioregionalist activists claim that place is the most viable starting point for changing humanity’s relationship with nature” (Berry, 1972, & McGinnis, 1999, as cited in Lai & Ball, 2002, p. 47). Likewise, the art educators are concerned as they know that there is “an intimate relationship among art, education and place” (p. 47). I have never considered these links and when brought to my awareness, I was not convinced. Blandy and Hoffman (1993) provided the research to create art with an ecological message, to help students understand the interdependence and interconnectedness of things (as cited in Lai & Ball, 2002, p. 47). As a more and more research was provided in the article, I began to see some of the connections and started understanding the link. At times, I found the article to be confusing and very complex; however, it does make interesting connections between ecological education, art and place. In particular, the article concentrates on the yard art of upstate New York in a town of Moreau that shows how socio-ecological issues can be seen in local art, showing the relevance and importance of art in the lives of people. The long term goal for this research is to “facilitate students’ awareness of the diversity of artistic practices and in general of the role that cultural practices play in humans’ understandings of nature” (p. 51).
Leonard, A. http://www.storyofstuff.org/ Retrieved 26/06/2010.
Today with so much information on the web, many websites can be misleading, hard to navigate, and even intimidating. The layout of the web page is rather simple, making it easy to navigate. The title of the page which appears on top is “The story of stuff.” In the middle of the page appear four stories: “the story of stuff,” “the story of electronics,” “the story of bottled water,” and “the story of cap and trade.” Each one delves into a serious issue. Her method of presentation is very creative, as she relies on comical characters to portray what she is saying.
The visually stimulating story about ‘stuff’ is a very engaging and entertaining to watch. And even though there is a fun and artistic element to the presentation, she manages to raise very effective and thought-provoking questions. Annie Leonard takes us on a visual journey of where does the “stuff” come from and where it goes when we dispose of it. Her answers come from her own research conducted over 10 years and reveal that the system that’s in place is in crisis. “It is a linear system and we live on a finite planet, and we cannot run a linear system on a finite planet indefinitely.” She goes through the five processes: extraction, production, distribution, consumption, and disposal. The main message that is carried out in the video is that we are using too much ‘stuff’ and are not thinking about our consumption responsibly. “As a nation of consumers, that has become our primary identity.” Amazingly, only one percent of the ‘stuff’ purchased 6 months is still in our households. So the questions being raised by Annie Leonard are very important, questioning our sustainability and equity, and at the same time causing people to think twice about buying something that they do not really need. This could definitely stir the people and potentially cause an environmental movement.
