03 Feb Where Art Meets Nature
The Rise of Environmental Art
by Allie Harrison
Since early human history, artistic practices have been closely connected to nature. During the Stone Age, early humans painted animals and human figures on cave walls using natural pigments from clay, minerals, or charcoal, and mixing them with water, animal fat, or plant juices.
As artistic tools and techniques developed over time, the way people represented and related to nature also evolved. For instance, about 3000 BC in Ancient Egypt, artists started depicting scenes of the Nile River on papyrus Scrolls and tomb walls, celebrating the environment that sustained their civilization. Later on, Ancient Chinese artists developed Shan shui (Mountain–Water) ink-and-brush landscape paintings, portraying nature’s relationship with the entire cosmos. These Ancient Chinese landscapes emphasized the need for paintings to embody not only the form but also the spirit of the subject.
The Classical period of ancient Greece and Rome (8th century BC–5th century AD) was a defining moment in Western art. Artists sought harmony, proportion, and beauty, believing these qualities reflected divine order and moral virtue. You may think about the carefully measured statues and buildings of the time. Influenced by philosophical discussions of mimesis–the imitation of nature–led by Plato and Aristotle, artists began creating idealized representations of the natural world. Rather than copying nature exactly, they aimed to reveal deeper truths through art.
Alongside this Western trajectory, many Indigenous cultures developed artistic traditions grounded in enduring relationships with the land. These are ongoing practices around the world in which art, culture and environment remain inseparable. From the Wichí weavers of Northern Argentina, whose patterns embody flora and fauna and carry oral histories of the forest, to contemporary Indigenous artists who share ecological knowledge and living connections with the Earth, these traditions continue to thrive.
In contrast, the Industrial Revolution in Europe introduced a growing separation between humans and nature within Western worldviews. As exploitation and pollution increased, artists began responding to ecological loss by moving beyond the gallery space and engaging directly with the environment. And so began the Land Art movement.
In the 21st century, this relationship has taken on renewed urgency. Climate change, biodiversity and sustainability have become central concerns, giving rise to an interdisciplinary field where environmental inspiration and artistic activism intersect. Often called eco-art or environmental art, this practice takes many forms around the world–from painting, sculpture, photography, and film, to music, dance, theatre, fashion, digital art and beyond. You name it! Artists are also exploring new ways to reduce their footprint by using discarded and recycled materials, biodegradable paints, and other natural elements like light, water, and plants.
A new wave of collaboration between mediums, artists, and cultures is emerging where questions of place, ecology and responsibility are being addressed. With exhibitions and movements foregrounding Indigenous stewardship, reciprocal relationships to land, ecological activism, and climate justice, there are many ways to engage with environmental art and reframe dominant narratives.
Introducing some Local Kootenay Artists
Joe Feddersen
Joe Feddersen is Okanagan/Sinixt and a citizen of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation. He began his career as a printmaker, earning a B.F.A. in Printmaking from the University of Washington and an M.F.A. from the University of Wisconsin. His practice later expanded to include painting, photography, glass, collage, basket weaving, and large-scale multimedia installations. Moving fluidly between mediums, Feddersen explores his experiences as a member of the Colville Confederated Tribes, combining traditional Plateau imagery and techniques with references to the present day and geometries of the modern West. His work reflects a deep connection to land, water, and sky, and examines the interconnected relationship between people and the natural world. Through colour, geometric forms, and humour, he creates pieces that confront how we see, use and treat the environments we inhabit. Feddersen’s work is held in numerous private, corporate and museum collections nationwide and has received multiple awards, including the 2024 Governor’s Award.
Veil, 2023, Monoprint on paper, 30 x 23 in
Genevieve Robertson
Living on the unceded territory of the Sn̓ʕay̓ckstx, Yaqan Nukiy, Syilx, and Secwépemc, Genevieve Robertson works at the intersection of visual art and environmental studies. With an MFA from Emily Carr University, Robertson’s practice is materially driven and land-informed. Combining her fieldwork focused on watersheds, old growth forests, wildfires, and marine shorelines, with drawing, painting, video, and installation, she explores the origins of matter across geological time and raises awareness toward settler-colonial impacts on the environment. For instance, Robertson recently collaborated with seven artists and biologists to study and creatively respond to an endangered old-growth rainforest, aiming to support its conservation through shared research and art.
Biome (estuary), detail, 2024 Image: Kenton Doupe
Marianne Nicolson
Marianne is an art activist of the Musgamakw Dzawada’enuxw First Nations of the Kwakwaka’wakw of the Pacific Northwest Coast. Her practice includes both traditional Kwakwaka’wakw culture and contemporary gallery work. With an MFA from the University of Victoria and a PhD in Linguistics and Anthropology specializing on space as expressed in the Kwak’wala language, Marianne works as an artist, researcher, historian and advocate for Indigenous rights. Through international exhibitions of her photography, video, painting, carving, installation, and writing works, she seeks to uphold traditional Kwakwaka’wakw philosophy and address environmental issues. She has focused her artistic lens specifically on the Kootenay region’s place within the important environmental context of the heavily dammed Kootenay and Columbia rivers.
Preparing to Cross the Sacred River (Edmonton, 2018)
Sources:
https://www.britannica.com/art/rock-art?utm_source
https://medium.com/the-epoch-times/chinese-shan-shui-painting-through-the-yuan-dynasty-a725383e865c
https://www.biospheresustainable.com/en/blog/45/art-and-the-environment-throughout-history