Environmental art

Environmental art is a broad term covering works that address social and political issues relating to the natural and urban environment. The term has two interrelated meanings. First, it describes art that physically engages with the landscape and space, including land art and large-scale interventions in nature. Second, and increasingly, it means ecologically conscious art—work that draws attention to environmental crisis, pollution, climate change, resource depletion and the relationship between humanity and nature. Unlike early land art, which sometimes altered the landscape by industrial means, contemporary environmental art often seeks to heal, to restore ecosystems or to propose sustainable solutions. Notable practitioners include Robert Smithson with his Spiral Jetty, Andy Goldsworthy, who works with fragile natural materials, and Hans Haacke and the Harrisons, whose projects combine art, science and activism. Environmental art reflects the growth of global ecological awareness and expands the understanding of the artist's role as a participant in social and environmental processes.