University Of New Mexico

New MFA in Art and Ecology at the University of New Mexico

November 23, 2010AnnouncementsArmy Corps Of Engineers, Art Environment, Conceptual Foundation, Design Partnership, Environment Center, Integrating Community, Isea Symposium, Land Use Interpretation, Landscape Architecture, Long Term Ecological Research, Mfa Program, National Wildlife Refuge, Nevada Art, Open Source Technologies, Rio Grande Bosque, Sustainability Studies, Term Ecological Research, Thesis Projects, University Of New Mexico, Virtual Infrastructure

The new MFA program in Art and Ecology at the University of New Mexico is an interdisciplinary, research-based program engaging contemporary art practices. Students develop ecological and cultural literacy with a conceptual foundation and a wide range of production skills, including sculpture, social practice, and digital media. Students in Art and Ecology have the opportunity to work on various collaborative and interdisciplinary projects with departments across UNM and on comprehensive thesis projects integrating community and ecological research. Coursework includes the Land Arts of the American West program, a semester-long travel and place-based arts pedagogy.

PARTNERS

Sustainability Studies at UNM
Landscape Architecture at UNM
SEV, Long Term Ecological Research at Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge
Centro Artistico y Cultural, El Paso, TX
The Center for Land Use Interpretation, Wendover, UT
Art + Environment Center, Nevada Art Museum, Reno, NV
The UNM Center for Advanced Research Computing (CARC)
Fodder Project: A Collaborative Research Farm
The American Society for Acoustic Ecology

CURRENT AND PAST PROJECTS

Paseo del Bosque Ecological Restoration

A design partnership with the Army Corps of Engineers on an ecologically-degraded section of the Rio Grande Bosque creating a design to engage art, access, and restoration of the bosque ecosystem.

Open Source/Open Culture

A learning community in collaboration with the Depatment of Theatre and Dance, the Department of Engineering, the Department of Art and Art History, and other programs at UNM, offering students and faculty an opportunity to develop virtual infrastructure and open source technologies.

ISEA2012 Machine Wilderness: The International Symposium for Electronic Art

A wide-ranging series of public events highlighting art, technology and environment in conjunction with the prestigious International ISEA SymposiumÂ (www.isea2012.org) and created in partnership with 516 ARTS, The Albuquerque Museum, The City of Albuquerque Public Art Program, Creative Albuquerque and others.

USDA FoodShed Field Study

A summer UNM field program involving Art and Ecology, Sustainability Studies, the Department of Communications and Journalism, the Department of Geography, and the Department of Civil Engineering.

Barrio Buena Vista

A long-term project in the Buena Vista neighborhood in El Paso, Texas, working with the Centro Artistico y Cultural and the City of El Paso on wetland restoration, a mural series, and an urban pocket park.

Clean Livin’

A collaboration with Simparch and the Center for Land Use Interpretation on an experimental sustainability project at an abandoned military Quonset in Wendover, UT.

Bosque Environmental Monitoring Project

Engagement in the monitoring of local bat species and the creation of habitat-promoting sculpture through a coordinated program of volunteer citizen and student groups who gather long-term data on the forest ecosystem located along the Middle Rio Grande.

Albuquerque Metropolitan Area Flood Control Agency

A series of proposals and implemented projects addressing flood control structures, including detention ponds and wetland trash settlement areas, through art intervention.

For more information:
http://ae.unm.edu/

To apply:
http://art.unm.edu/academics/graduate_programs.html

Check me out at the Art 21 Blog

December 31, 2009newsArt 21, Arts Students, blog, Ecology, Flash Points, Mexico Art, New Art, Spiral Jetty, University Of New Mexico

{UNM Land Arts students at the Spiral Jetty.}

An interview I did about the new Art and Ecology program at University of New Mexico is on the Art 21 blog.

The interview is part of the blog’s Flash Points series focusing on art and the natural world.

Go to Eco Art Blog

New Mexico Art & Ecology BFA and MFA program

December 3, 2009newsAcademic Institution, Art Classes, Art History Homepage, Bfa, Ceramics, Ecology, Ecology Students, Electronic Arts, Extent, Genre, Genres, New Mexico Art, Painting, Painting Ceramics, Photography History, Printmaking, Related Art, Sculpture Art, Undercurrent, University Of New Mexico, Young Artist, Young Artists

An installation being constructed by the University of New Mexico art and ecology students.

The University of New Mexico has a BFA and MFA program in art and ecology. I’m not sure when it started, but from their website, it seems that the program builds on previous eco-art classes and the university’s Land Arts of the American West program.

Read all about it at art.unm.edu/ecology.

Perhaps the most interesting thing to me is that if you go to the UNM Art and Art History homepage, the genres listed are:

painting and drawing
photography
ceramics
sculpture
art history
printmaking
electronic arts
art and ecology

I have to say that I’m surprised (and sort of enjoy) that this is an area or genre of study now. But I hope that it doesn’t result in other students thinking less about how ecology and environmentalism might play a role in their work.

From my experience, dividing students into specific genres has it’s positives and negatives. I’m thankful that I’ve studied in schools that are relatively open to interdisciplinary work while also engaging the medium-specific skills and information, if a young artist needs that in their work.

To a certain extent, any genre or “area” serves the needs of an academic institution, but I’ve always thought of eco-related art as spanning existing genres and would be hesitant to define it as its own medium. While eco-art may have its own concerns, I’ve been noticing that many young artists todayâ€”regardless of genreâ€”think a lot about the environment and how artists can make work about it. As a result, much of the art that interests me isn’t overtly or obviously tied to environmentalism, but I believe it is there as an undercurrent.

Here’s hoping that this new program can help students find new and interesting ways to think about art and the environment, and that the “art and ecology” area adds to UNM’s other areas of study.

Go to Eco Art Blog