Abstract
Desert X Al Ula
Deserts are a highly valuable and bio-diverse and unique species filled surface on earth. I believe that the deserts and their precious species living in said places should also be preserved. I aim to look at Eco-Art as well, as I believe that they are a much under appreciated method of art in terms of providing a clear message on how we can preserve our planet and our environment. Eco-Art’s main purpose is to raise awareness about the dangers and negative effects that we as humans do to the environment. It aims to promote taking care of our environment and creating change. Encouraging us humans to conserve what’s valuable and precious. In this blog I aim to look at how Eco-Art helps us understand the negative effects of our actions on deserts, but also why we should conserve the desert and its species. I am looking at art exhibitions like the Desert X AlUla, one of the many art exhibitions that provide a place for artists that are world renowned to display their art work and share their message to educate the world and their viewers. Desert X is a non-profit, charity organization created in California that occurs in different regions of the world every other year. Their purpose of producing annual international contemporary art exhibitions that energize desert areas through site-specific installations by acclaimed international artists. This year, 2022. Desert X has installed their expedition in the Al Ula desert of Saudi Arabia. With a total of 9 world renowned artists that are displaying theirs artworks for viewing this year. The main idea and meaningful story behind Desert X is to display meaningful artworks that respond to the conditions of the deserts locations, the environment and indigenous communities. And they aim to promote cultural exchange and education programs that foster dialogue and understanding within cultures and communities about shared artistic, historical and societal issues. A main factor they also have is that since the exhibition is specifically all profits to charity shows that they truly aim to share positive messages and genuinely want to gain the betterment for our planet and the species living within it. I aim to look at each distinctive art work and understand What message does this artwork try to give? What story goes behind each work? What’s the artist’s intention in creating such artwork? What do these artwork include and in what specific way does it look to give that message they aim to hand to the viewers? How do they show the value of deserts? Or their species living within the desserts? . Above all these crucial questions, above all I want to aim to answer my main question for this project which is, Do Eco-Art truly make a difference in terms of inspiring viewers to care for the environment, and do they have an impact on the global environmental crises that the globe is currently facing?
Blog Post 2
The Eco-Art and amazingly created sculptures and installations displayed this year in the Great Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Desert X AlUla aims to produce an annual exhibition internationally and specifically in desert regions with international artists displaying their unique art installations and for a good cause. The Desert X Al Ula is a non-profit and a charity organization specifically created to overall send a positive message. Some of the artworks also aim to provide a message to ensure people take care of the environment. They aim to ensure people understand the importance of preserving this planet and the unique large variety of species that come along with this glorious place we can all call home. Eco-Art is a unique way in showing the importance of planet earth, some people believe that it does not create that much impact and others believe that Eco-Art is actually a unique way to share the message of protecting earth. So I took a look at the art installations that are displayed at these magnificent exhibitions. All are unique in their own ways and all carry important messages to them. I specifically wanted to look at the artwork by Abdullah Al Othman in the Expedition of 2022. The artwork titled Geography of Hope. This piece from the whole expedition stood out to me the most, that is because its heavenly look and simplicity is what makes it stand out between the rest to me. To describe its physical description it is a water source, a puddle of some sort in the center of Saudi Arabia’s most distinctive mountains that in a way hug this installation surrounding it. I really love that the artist has specifically chosen that place for his installation, because of the simplicity his work is providing. I saw it as in a way enhancing the nature surrounding it. The “Water-like” substance in the intermontane plateau is a reflective liquid, which is very intriguing to me. To me it looks like a melted mirror, which I interpreted as a mirror that reflected the beauty of nature, the desert. Now as a simplistic work as the “Geography of Hope” we can’t really easily pinpoint what its intention is or the message behind it is. It is in a way an artwork like most artworks are up to the interpretation of the viewer. In my opinion Eco-Art like these are really efficient because if the viewer understands that this work is an Eco-Work, if they don’t read a description of some sort they start thinking of ways how this artwork will promote environmental preservation. For instance when I look at this artwork I do see it as an Eco-Art. I believe that it shows us the importance of the “gift” the earth provides us with. The importance of “Water” to humans, our need for it. Makes us appreciate nature and what it provides us. Now what I view or understand may not be like what you may think but I believe that’s the beauty of artwork like these.
Blog Post 3
I would like to look at another piece that is displayed in the exhibition that is just as great as the “Geography of Hope” by the Artist Abdulla Al Othman. The artist’s work that I mentioned as great, is also controversial in my opinion. And that artist is Zeinab Al Hashemi. Her artwork is titled “Camouflage 2.0”. Her work at first glance does not scream Eco-Art. Taking in consideration that the Desert X Al Ula is located in a desert, and there is no sight of a “Museum label” or even any comments from the artists, and this goes to all the artworks displayed. From the images I have reviewed there were some people that look like they were a sort of guide, information Curtors. Even then this will lack the actual feeling or the aim of the artwork from the artist themselves. However, sometimes in this case it might not be necessary. Known as a visual artworks. This can be helpful because it makes the viewer reflect on the piece in their own unique way, the viewer can self create a message behind the artwork. In terms of Eco-Art, Desert X Al Ula is known to have artworks that generally are displayed for a good cause. Not necessarily about the preservation of the environment only. However, as a viewer if I know that the majority of the pieces are for a good cause I will form an idea or a message behind each piece with the knowledge that whatever it might signifies, it is for a good cause. Going back to Camouflage 2.0, this unique piece of artwork in my opinion does have some environment appreciation message and I would see it fitting into the Eco-Art category because in the artist’s description she says “The camel hair on the rock-like sculptures symbolizes the magnificent creature that is synonymous with the desert. It is also a reminder that the site is now a public art park that celebrates the desert; it welcomes everyone to discover this place as a masterpiece of nature”. And from her description it is clear that she aimed to show the value of the camels, and in that sense values of the species in the deserts which to me is a way of preserving the environment. Now if a viewer comes across her description of that artwork they most likely will also have similar thoughts as I mentioned. However, Like I previously stated at a first glance at this artwork in no way can I tell what she believes is the aim of this artwork or her purpose of displaying this sculpture like display. I want to go back to the visual art concept, visually looking at this artwork even before reading her description, I tried to analyze the piece based on what I see. Now I can definitely tell that this artwork has something to do with deserts generally. That is because of the neutral colors of many shades of brown that have been used. If you zoom in closer the ‘camel skin’ that is embracing these abstract stone like statues immediately signifies Camels. What about the Camels? Why Camels?, we as viewers with no context wont know. We can assume, and guess what it signifies or what about camels? But we won’t know for sure. Now going back to my comment on why this is not an ideal “Eco-Art”, this is because we can’t expect this to create a huge difference and impact the viewers if the description is not displayed. We can’t all be sure everyone can connect the dots and form a conclusion that this artwork is symbolizing the magnificent creatures that are exclusively found in the deserts. So the geometric shaped stones, as beautiful as they can be, also provided me with another thought. Which is that if the use of the camel skin (unsure if real or faux) would advocate for animal cruelty or slaughter acts. May not say that but, the use of the skin on the artwork can infer it. So generally when viewing this piece I didn’t have a straight answer if this is a “save the animal” artwork or “Use their skin for human benefit”. This can be an up to interpretation type work like I did mention previously, however, this gives me the imagery that that piece is not an Eco-Art work, because I think the only way an ‘Eco-Art’ display can be influential is if it screams to its viewer. “Create change”, “Make a difference” “Protect this planet and the species that come along with it”.
Blog post 4
The underwater museum by Jason Taylor was the main secondary source I wanted to look at to help further improve my research. Taylors work is whats known to be qualified as Eco-Art. The human-like sculptures were submerged in the Oceans around the world displayed at the bottom of the sea. Taylor claims that his sculptures can be utilized in so many different ways, main purpose was that it could be used as a surface for coral reefs to grow on to and used as a place to be protected by humans and their destruction towards the sea by littering and over visiting the sea. So he suggests that his work is more helpful toward the environment. However I have some views that suggest otherwise. The sculptures look very attractive to view and most likely will attract people want to visit the oceans. Now that will cause more visitors to visit the ocean, which will result to more littering and more humans taking over the oceans and disrupting the species and ocean itself, which made me believe that this will actually cause more harm than good to the ocean. So that led me to believe that the underwater museum is not the best example of an Eco-Art. Now in the article by Cronon “the trouble with wilderness” he has mentioned that Americans believed “wilderness stands as the last remaining place where civilization, that too human disease, has not fully infected the earth”. This reminds me of the Underwater museum, the ocean being the wilderness that is the last remaining place which has not been touched by civilization. The museum has in a way represented civilization and taking over the wilderness of the ocean. Similarly to what Conan said about “ Killing parts of nature to make it our home” the artworks of AlUla take over the deserts and Taylors sculptures take over the ocean. Conan essentially believes that there won’t be a place for nature and its species that has not been disrupted by civilization. Another though I had was that the look of the sculptures were very interesting. Why are they sculptures of humans? Isn’t it ironic that the species responsible for the bad affects on the environment are the ones being replicated to “save the planet”. This makes me believe that humans beings are in a way suspecting that they own the ocean and what belongs to it. That human beings are on their way to make sure that they place their human touches on each and every surface reachable on this earth. To the point we’re actually placing sculptures of us in the sea. Yes these sculptures can save the coral reefs however, what about the other species within the ocean. HE claimed that his work would “Create value for the ocean” however, is that what the ocean really needs? more reasons to be visited? Isn’t placing these sculptures “littering” the oceans and invading its natural elements. Maybe there can be alternative ways to make people “value” the ocean. I overall came to the conclusion that this is not a great display of Eco-Art, solely because I believe their can be better approached to encourage people to take care of the environment.
Blog post 5
From my second secondary source I wanted to look at the artwork by Sara Al Obaidly “What remains” which was a very great example of Eco-Art in my opinion. The art-woks are a series of photographs that show a great amount of our Earth being distrusted completely. Her work were displayed in an art exhibition here in Qatar, so it is not disturbing any place or species. Her photographs were true and unmodified. In a way they were not “sugarcoating” the truth of how bad the planet is struggling by the actions of humans. Her work has a quite minimal look to her work, they have taken up the least space in comparison to the rest of the works however they hold the deepest and heaviest meanings. This showed me that Eco-Art can be as simple and brief but have the most impact. Sure it may not be a very affective method. As I mentioned previously there can be many other way more affective ways. Although, this does not take away the chances of it being affective in anyway. Art generally does not target everyone and does not please many. So we really cant expect one category of art to reach out to many. The works by Sara makes me believe she purely wants to shine the light on the blindside of the horror of climate change and the possible end of our planet and the species that come with it. Saras work made me aware that Eco-Art can be an affective approach however, can there be any other approaches more affective. Overall I do believe Eco-Art may not be the best way to approach rapidly increasing environmental issues of today, it can be targeted to certain people however, for todays affect on climate change we need to focus more on approaches that cater all people old and young.
