Defining Environmental Art

The genre of Environmental Art is extremely diverse and many of the various
interactions between artists and environment have attracted varying
definitions and descriptions that are often used interchangeably. Therefore in
any discussion of Environmental Art it is necessary to establish the definitions
applied to the various terms, and sub-genres as they are applied and used.

The term ‘Environmental Art’ is generally used as an umbrella description to

describe an artistic process or artwork in which the artist actively engages
with the environment. Hal Foster describes such works as:

site-specific sculptural projects that utilise the materials of the

environment to create new forms or to adjust our impressions of
the panorama: programs that import new, unnatural objects into
the natural setting with similar goals: time – sensitive individual
activities in the landscape; collaborative, socially aware
interventions.

This quote shows the broad range of artistic output that Environmental Art can
cover that can be broken into the following sub-types.

Environmental Bio-Art: Artworks incorporating living material, like plants or

moss, for a restorative function,

Earthworks: Large scale, environmental sculptures that use the natural

environment both as site and as the materials for creation,

Eco-Art: Broad term encompassing ecologically responsive artworks under

Environmental Art,

Ecofeminism: A social and political movement combining feminism and

environmentalism, underpinning the works of many woman environmental
artists,

Ecovention: Combination of ‘Ecology’ and ‘Invention’, encompassing artworks

that repair damage to a natural environment. Also known as Reclamation Art,
Ephemeral Art: Art which is built to last only a short period of time. These
artworks are often left to degrade in natural environmental conditions,

Land art: Term used predominantly in the 60s and 70s, referring to large-
scale, artwork made outdoors on the land, but not necessarily ecologically
focused,

Site-Specific Performance Art: Performances in which the artist physically

connects with a particular environment with their body in a manner that is
documented through film or photograph,

Walking works: Practices in which the artist uses the act of walking through
an environment as an artistic expression,

Environmental Installation or Sited-Sculpture: Installation of a sculpture into

the landscape, which uses the environment as ‘site’ rather than material,

Social Sculpture: Artworks focusing on the interrelation of the environment

and society encompassing works involving the local community or requiring
the viewer to actively participate, promoting a consciousness of natural
environmental conditions,

Assemblage and Recycled Art: Works that utilise found objects (both natural
and man-made) in their construction,

Non-sites and Complimentary Gallery Based Works: Material from a particular

site used in a gallery-based artwork, forging a connection between the site
and the artwork. This can also refers to artifacts exhibited in a gallery relating
to a site-specific work, including photographs, maps and other materials.

The definitions provided above intend to shape these terms as they are used
in this dissertation. It is by no mean an exhaustive list and the definitions can
be flexible and variable.

To cite this excerpt:

Wildy, Jade C. “Defining Environmental Art.” Master of Art History, Adelaide
S. Aust.: University of Adelaide, 2010.