MAKING ART MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY

By Camilla Jensen

Environmental art can describe a wide range of art practices, but at its core it encourages the viewer to appreciate the land around them and, more recently, makes them think of ways they can help sustain the natural beauty of the world.

What started off as landscape painting and photography has expanded into the environment becoming the work of art as a call to action, in order to raise awareness of the dangers facing the planet and promote its conservation.

Environmental art asks viewers to reflect on how our actions affect the world around us and what we can change in our lives to better the future of the natural world. It not only puts the focus on the way people and the environment impact each other, but also promotes the use of environmentally friendly materials in art practices.

Paints are one of the most common mediums used in art, but also one of the most toxic. Made up of pigments, binders, and solvents, they can contaminate soil and water when not disposed of properly. Toxic paints contain high levels of volatile organic compounds, contributing to indoor air pollution, forming greenhouse gases, and in cases of prolonged exposure, causing health issues due to off-gassing while they dry. By using eco-friendly paints and recycled and upcycled materials when possible, we as artists can greatly reduce our environmental footprint.

Sculptural art forms have the most promise for being environmentally friendly, as artists can use recycled and upcycled materials to create their pieces. Found objects do not contribute to damaging the environment, and can give a piece more meaning through the materials being used as they were. Recycled and upcycled materials leave a positive impact on the environment, creating something new and visually or emotionally impactful through reuse.

Every little change we can make to better our art practices will have a positive impact on the environment, and in the long run will allow us to create more art in the future. This can be done as a statement for how we treat our environment or simply as a gesture to the wellbeing of the world around us.