Urban Environmental Art

I took an art history class in college called Environmental Art History. The first half focused on Andy Goldsworthy and other artists in his area – a form of art that was first recognized in the 70’s. We had a visiting artist named Roy Staab  and I worked with him on a piece for the college. These artists make art using local natural items. They build sculptures or make works with leaves on rocks or in water. Now how is that different then Gorilla Art or Street Art?

I ask that because sculptures are made from plaster, clay, metal, Graffiti is paint, wheat paste, marker, ink. Yarn Bombing is done with all kinds of things that you see in your urban Surrounding. Maybe what these styles need is new name branding of the work. People always call it street art or graffiti. These terms are ones that the general public sees in negative terms. So maybe it’s time that we start using more positive terminology in a more academic way. We can start calling it Urban Environmental Art - that would probably make it be a more friendly movement title for art text books.

Urban Environmental Art - using all of the items you would see in the surroundings of the work of art. Different environment equals different material, the woods - sticks, leaves, moss, rocks, desert- sand, rocks sticks,  town- pavement, rocks, sticks, paint, brick, plastic, metal and the same goes for cities. So let there be a new Environmental Art in the list of movements. Even though these things have been around for a long time, lets tweak the name to be more ‘movement’ friendly, introducing Urban Environmental Art!

Originally Posted: August 9, 2011