ARTH 272 - The Land as Art

CR: 3
This course studies how different cultures–through decoration, manipulation, or depiction–have responded to the land as art. Beginning in the prehistoric era and extending to the present day we will cover topics as diverse as the stone lines of the Nasca in Paris, the visionary paintings of the Aboriginal people of Australia, the nationalistic landscapes of J.M.W Turner in Great Britain, the Zen rock gardens of Japan, the international public installations of Jeanne Claude and Christo, and the shape of Sweet Briar’s campus. By becoming more aware of how the earth has been approached and treated by others, we will gain a greater understanding of how each of us fits into the larger system–as residents, observers, and caretakers. We take that introspection and, in collaboration with multiple programs around campus, together craft our own Sweet Briar land art using earth and other materials from nature to produce sculpture or other mixed-media art. Fulfills the requirements for CORE 150. CORE 150