In Defense of Eco Art
Although some eco artworks promote sensory and emotive engagements, the clear functionality of much eco art introduces a particularly disputed form of innovation.
Eco art tampers with the popular assumption that art can only engage the human spirit because it frequently seems indistinguishable from engineering, gardening, farming, etc.
How can eco artists defend themselves against the accusation that pragmatic practices do not belong within the realm of ‘art’?
They might note that past art has awakened devotion in times of spiritual unrest and it has aroused protest in times of suppression. In the current era, artistic innovation addresses the onslaught of environmental hazards regarding pollution, resource depletion, climate change, etc. Sometimes this involves utilitarian, problem-solving strategies.
In addition to defending its status as art, eco artists are often called upon to justify their adoption of the prefix ‘eco’. They often satisfy this complaint by noting the shared goals of ecologists and artists; both actively strive to ensure the vitality of Earth’s ecosystems.
Validating their adoption of this prefix ‘eco’ has introduced four new foundational attributes into the annals of Western art. One is thematic; it deals with the systems and cycles that account for life on Earth. Two are structural; they constitute the formal conditions of interconnection and dynamism. The fourth is ecocentrism; which reverses anthropocentrism, the privileging of human needs and wants. An inspiring profusion of artistic innovations are emerging from these intersections.