The objective of this dissertation is to establish the notion that art can serve to
create and communicate an awareness of the interconnectedness between
people and nature.
This study debates the theoretical similarities and differences in attitudes
toward the planet as interpreted in the artworks of pre-history shamans and
traditional societies, 20th century land and urban artists and contemporary
environmentally concerned artists. The comparative findings suggest that
attitudes of anthropocentricism, greed and power and a denial of Pantheism
associated with agriculture, industrial and technological developments, have
changed the human-nature symbiosis found in early societies.
The creative component of this study has employed the processes of etching
and embossing, digital image manipulations and the juxtaposition and
layering of images to establish visual metaphors that communicate
interconnectedness. Sculptures, billboards, prints and photographs as
artworks of the conscience intend to shift socially and personally constructed
perceptions from human-centeredness toward a symbiotic worldview.Art History, Visual Arts and MusicologyM.A. (Visual Arts
