Environmental Art: Earth Body Art / Ana Mendieta

Review

Ideas About Art

1

Based on Plato's philosophical reflection on the arts and beauty,  the artist copies the experienced object, or uses it as a model for his work. For the philosopher, on the other hand, beauty resides in the idea and not in sensible things. 

2

For Aristotle beauty is contained in symmetry, which he considers the symbol of perfection, linked to the classic concept of beauty: harmony, order and proportion.

3

Baumgarten, reaffirmed that the essence of beauty could not occur without the discovery of aesthetic sensible pleasure. The beautiful and the aesthetic are not alien to the sensitive. What comprises the artistic is given through sensibility.

4

Baumgarten proposes aesthetics as a science of sensible knowledge, which deals with beauty. "The end of aesthetics is the perfection of sensible knowledge as such and this is beauty." 

5

Kant is interested in art for its connection with beauty, not for art itself. Beauty, according to Kant, is not a quality typical of beautiful things produced by artists, but rather a feeling of pleasure of the subject who judges things as beautiful, whether they are works of art or of nature. 

6

Hegel established that aesthetics was a science that deals not with sensations but with the philosophy of art. For Hegel, art is the highest platform for spiritual elevation. For Hegel, art is the perfect sensuous expression of the freedom of spirit. It is in classical art, therefore—above all in ancient Greek sculpture (and drama)—that true beauty is to be found.

7

In the 19th century, however, avant-garde concepts applied to aesthetics began to question traditional approaches. The change was very evident in painting with the French Impressionists, Post-Impressionists,  Cubists and Expressionists through the artist's emotions and feelings. 

 

CONCEPTUAL ART

Definition 

Conceptual art, sometimes simply called conceptualism, is art in which the concept or idea involved in the work take precedence over traditional aesthetic, technical, and material concerns. In other words, it is art in which the idea presented by the artist is considered more important than the finished product, if there is one.

 

Terms

Marcel Duchamp

Retinal Art

Readymades

Found Objects

Installation Art

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I

Unit: Environmental Art

Theme: Earth-Body Art

Introduction

Today we come full circle to the idea the art should exist for art's sake. The term "environmental art," for instance, often encompasses "ecological" concerns but is not specific to them. It primarily celebrates an artist's connection with nature using natural materials. The concept is best understood in relationship to historic earth/Land art and the evolving field of ecological art. 

Another form of art inspired by nature is Ephemeral art. Artistic creations are made from items found in nature including leaves, sticks, bark, pebbles, seedpod, nuts, berries, petals, sand or shells. Options are endless, anything in nature can be used to create art for art's sake.

A third form of art that uses nature as its medium is Earth Body Art. This form allows artists to use their bodies in relation to nature to make a personal statement. The term was coined by Ana Mendieta who is our case study for today's class. Mendieta's art is the ultimate example of what art for art's sake can look like.

II

Learning Objectives

• Understand the significance of earth-body art
  
• Explain the elements used in the creation of earth-body art
• Gain an awareness of the importance of nature's classical elements in Mendieta's work
• Experience the creation of an individual and collective earth-body piece
  

III

Main Lesson

1

 

Concept 

Land art, also known as Earth art or Earthworks, is an art form defined by works made outdoors with natural materials that interact with their surrounding landscapes. This form rejects the restrictions of an art gallery and brings its viewers into nature to provide a new perspective on the environment.

For Earth-Body work to take place, the artist has to define him/herself as an Earth-body artist. In this kind of art, Earth sculptures reproduce the artist's body with natural materials. This work traces the contours of a human body to integrate it with nature. 

 

Question 1

What is Earth body art?

2

How do you do earth-body art?

 

Instructions

1. Explore your chosen location. ...
2. Choose a site to create your art. ...
3. Find an interesting idea to make your art.
4. Let your imagination run free. ...
5. Create earth-body art combining your body with the elements of site.
6. Take pictures to record your creations.
   

Question 2

Summarize in your own words the instructions given above.

 

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IV

A Note to Remember

Earth art is art that is made directly in the landscape, sculpting the land itself into earthworks or making structures in the landscape using natural materials such as rocks or twigs. Earth art, also referred to as Land art or Earthworks, is largely an American movement that uses the natural landscape to create art. Land art, variously known as Earth art, environmental art, and Earthworks, is an art movement that emerged in the 1960s and 1970s, largely associated with Great Britain and the United States but that also includes examples from many countries.

 

 

V

Case Study

Ana Mendieta

Ana Mendieta (November 18, 1948 – September 8, 1985) was a Cuban-American performance artist, sculptor, painter and video artist. She was best known for her "earth-body" artwork. She was born in Havana and left for the United States in 1961 through the Peter Pan Exodus. In a brief yet prolific career, Mendieta created groundbreaking work in photography, film, video, drawing, sculpture and performance art.

1

 

 Question 3

What elements used Mendieta in her work? Why is her work important?

 

 

2

Question 4

According to Howard Oransky what elements of Mendieta's life found their way into her work?

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3

Raquel Cecilia Mendieta on Ana Mendieta at Galerie Lelong

 

 

Question 6

In which way was Mendieta's work experimental?

 

Question 7

 

After watching these videos, why is Mendieta's art work considered conceptual? 

Summary

The main themes in Mendieta's work were history, culture, memory and ritual. She worked with classical elements in nature: earth, wind, water and fire. Water for Mendieta signified spiritual purification whereas blood meant ritual. Earth meant the place where she found a sense of belonging. The main theme of her art was her struggle to reconcile her past in Cuba as a child, with her present in America.

8

 

 

Article

Inside a New Exhibition Devoted to Earth Art Pioneer Ana Mendieta

  

 

 

 

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VI

Activity 1

Earth-Body Art

a) Go outdoors. 

 

b) Find a green spot, observe it and find an element that you find beautiful, or resonates with who you are. 

 

Individual Work

 

c) Interact with the environment and photograph (or record) your interaction with your chosen element.

Group Work

 

d) Go back to your groups. 

 

Agree on using an element (within your individual chosen spot) and make an artistic-interactive proposition Mendieta's style.

 

 Record it and/or photograph it. 

 

POST YOUR WORK ON DISCUSSION BOARD.

 

Activity 2

 

Gather with your group and create a lesson plan based on your experience with earth-body art making. 

 

VI

 

Journaling

 

VII

Glossary

 

VIII 

Sources

 

 

IX

Students' Work 

 

Earth Body Pices

 

 1

 

 

Teamwork makes the dream work

Sofia Garcia

Working together as a team you can accomplish so much and in the picture its showing us work together to get over my fear. 

2

 

How We Reach Out

 

Rita Grinfeder

3

 

Nature can be fun too

  

Martina Negro

Even if you don't have anyone around you can have fun by yourself in nature.

 

 

4

 

 

 Hidden

Carolina Garcia

This picture represents the feeling of wanting to be hidden at times and not seen. 

5

 

 

Into the Unknown

Nicole Tortora

 Exploration. What lies beyond the surface, we only know if we take a leap and stick our nose into the unknown.

 

6

 

Growing with Nature

 

Tasha Pokrajac 

 

 

7

 

 

Belonging 

 

Chloe Latessa

We all connect with nature differently. Find where you belong: among the flowers? the sea? the sun? Your "match" will feed your soul and energize your spirit.

 

 

8

Where it Started vs How its Going 

 

Gage Ziehl

I feel like the little tree represents me and my aspirations as a young kid to play baseball after high school. And i represent the moment because I've made the dreams come true while being at the U.

 

9

 Power and Strength

Mia Romanach

My photo represents power and strength.

 

10

 

 

Different

Hannah Scherer 

 

Piece is demonstrating how finding a path different than the norm can be beautiful and valid. Showing my body curved in comparison to the straight tree demonstrates being unique. 

11

 

   

Art

Sydney Hausman

Art can be made anywhere.

 

12

Love

Olivia Conti

Love can be found everywhere in anyone or anything.

 

13

 

Growth

 

Edua Atu

  This picture is called growth. My hands in the ground represent the roots of the tree next to me. We both start our lives as small little seeds and the conditions of our environment allow us to grow and to all heights. My legs are the branches and represent how much I have transformed with time.

 

14

 

 

  Animal Protector 

 

Julian Hernandez

Put your faith in me I got us.

 

 

 

15

 

 

 

Healing 

 

Vivica Dunlop

From traumatic events, we're given the chance to grow in more beautiful and unique ways, more than just the person we were. Here, I show the idea that I as a person have grown from the trauma that I've experienced and become stronger and better, almost like a phoenix with her feathers.

 

16

 

 Grounded by the Earth

 Nour Abduljawad

Being in nature helps me reconnect with myself and grounds me. Being surrounded by nature helps me feel safe, and calm during times of stress, and anxiety.

 

17

 

 

 Earth Body from the Earth

Michael McLaughlin

 18

 

  

Giving Branches

Kitty Dowd 

 

19

 

Unseen 

 

Connor Walsh

I am attempting to camouflage myself with the branch.  From your perspective, its very ineffective. but from my perspective I am hidden.  There are billions of perspectives, but we only ever see things from our own.

 

 

20

Motivation 

 

Nicholas Robert

Let me drive the cart, taking responsibility and accountability since nobody wants to drive it. I’ll be the one to drive it.

 

 

 21

 

 

Earth & Body

 

John Kennedy 

 

 

22

 

Gabriel Gutierrez

This photo symbolizes joy and happiness , being surrounded by the beauty of nature. 

23

 

  Nature's Steady Structure

  Joe Piazza

24

 

Division

Jason Egre

My body in the light divides the plant in two. The out skirts of the plant are now in the dark. This symbolizes the negative outcomes of division among people or things even if there was good intention.

25

 

Blending in with Nature

 

Alejandro Barriga

  

In this photo, the green clothing symbolizes our seamless integration with nature, reminding us of our role in preserving the environment.

 

 

 

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Lesson Plans

1

Nour Abduljawad, Natasha Pokrajac, Vivica Dunlap, Jason Egre,Alejandro Barriga

 

Age group : Third grade 

Component:- Environmental Arts & Sculpting

Objective:-  Using various art tools, and their hands to enable self expression.

 Competency :- Enables Self expression, self confidence , imagination and creativity.

Assessment:- Their ability to complete the task.

 

2

Tyler Egan, Kitty Dowd, Joe Piazza, Rita Grinfeder, and Gage Ziehl

 

Age Group: Third grade 

Component: Earth-body art in groups

Objective: For the Third Grade students to interact with nature and each-other to find a way to express themselves and peers using nature 

Assessment: Students go outside of classroom. First, we'll show them earth-body art examples. Then, we will have them go in groups of five to create earth-body art as a group. We will then walk around and see each of their art pieces and have them explain to us what they are trying to express.

 

 

3

 

 Connor Walsh, Michael McLaughlin, Renzo Gonzalez, Gabriel Gutierrez, Edua Atu, Hannah Scherer

 

Grade Level: 2nd Grade 

Component- Connection of Art & Nature

Objectives- identifying beauty in nature, recognizing different patterns and designs within the natural world

Competency- students will be able to find art in nature, and will see the world around them as beautiful

Assessment:  

4

Julian Hernandez, Antonio Jimenez, Nick Robert, Paul Djobet, Chloe Latessa, Nicole Tortora

 

Age Group: 3rd Grade

Component: Teaching children art vocabulary can help them better understand the elements of art.

Objective: For the students to be in touch with nature.

Competency:The student can identify the elements of art and principles of design.

Assessment: Present their projects to class.

 

5

Sofia Garcia, Max Tauber, Spencer Lidov, John Kennedy, Alexander Hurtado

 

 Age group: Kindergarden

Component:

Objective: Identifying textures in art and in the environment When going outside and exploring we find so many different and unique leaves, branches, rocks, and so much more.

Competency:

Assessment: If they actually complete the task.

 

 6

Martina Negro, Sydney Hausman, Olivia Conti, Mia Romanach, Carolina Garcia

 

Grade Level: Kindergarden

Lesson Name: Artistic Explorers: Colors, Shapes, and the Natural World

Objective: have the kids feel like they're explorers in nature and urge them to connect nature with art.

Competency: The students feel connected to art using critical thinking on how they tied art and nature. 

Assessment: "show and tell' of the student's art like a mini art show. 

7

9/14 Makeup

 

 

Alex Garcia

 

Q1: Earth art is art from the world around you rejecting traditional things like art galleries.

Q2: In my eyes the instructions tell you to go outside and explore a location, pick where you would like to demonstrate said art and then let your imagination take flight. 

Q3: Mendieta used elements from the earth and related her answer back to Cuba. She brought this back to the fact the land was not hers therefor she did not have a “motherland”.

Q4: According to Howard Oransky, elements of Medietas life like her separation from her family in Cuba in 1961 as well as her love for Cuba and nature that surrounds it. 

Q5: Mendieta’s work was experimental in the sense that she used film that had been previously heavily damaged. She made work possible that others had previously not been able to. 

Q6: Mendieta's work was considered conceptual because she used her body as a medium to explore themes of identity, nature, and spirituality.

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