Art and the plight of the environment: Student-created images that inform and inspire

    

Mariëlle Hoefnagels, Amanda Boehm-Garcia, & Matthew S. Taylor

Advances in Biology Laboratory Education, 2023, Volume 43

https://doi.org/10.37590/able.v43.art8

Abstract

In this three-part activity, students examine, create, and present artistic images to explore the environmental impact of human activities. To begin, students study a work by American artist Patrick Nagatani (1945?2017). The work, called Nuclear Enchantment, contains 40 photographs depicting the damaging legacy of the nuclear industry in New Mexico. During our lab in fall 2021, the photographs were on display at the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art (FJJMA), and the class viewed them in person. However, the photographs are also readily available online (https://www.patricknagatani.com/pages/nucenchant.html), so access to the FJJMA is not necessary to complete this activity; in addition, with sufficient notice, FJJMA staff can facilitate a virtual event for any instructor. Regardless of the delivery method, the photographs are combined with discussion questions helping students to understand how Nagatani staged or enhanced elements of the photos to draw attention to social and environmental issues. In the second part of the activity, students have one week to create and modify their own Nagatani-style photo to illustrate an environmental issue of their choice. Along with their image, they submit a description of how they constructed their image and what it means to them. In the third part, the lab reconvenes, and groups of students who selected similar issues present their images to the class. Post-lab surveys indicated that students appreciated the opportunity to be creative and to use visual media to explain environmental problems that were important to them. In addition, nearly 75% indicated they would like their image and description to be included as part of the museum?s exhibit, indicating pride and satisfaction in their work. In the conference workshop, participants explored Nagatani?s work, created images with their own cameras and computers, and presented the images to the rest of the participants.

Keywords:  photography, environment, sustainability, art

University of Victoria (2022)