Mountains in the southwest on a cloudy day

Art in the Southwest

This two to six credit Field Studies Learning Community will develop concepts and skills in drawing and site-specific art while exploring major works of Land Art in Utah. Day trips to iconic works such as Robert Smithson's Spiral Jetty, Nancy Holt's Sun Tunnels, Ancestral Pueblo Cliff Dwellings.

Trips to the Center for Land Use Interpretation, Mesa Verde National Park and man-made landscapes will serve as the inspiration for observational and experimental drawings, readings and reflections, discussions of human relationships with land, development of project proposals, and creation of responsive work for a site-specific location in Colorado.

Students are encouraged to work on site, consider the ethical implications of their approach, and find ways to blend drawing with forms such as video, performance, sculpture, and installation.

Students must be prepared to walk/hike for several hours each day in the sun, sometimes at higher altitudes. Access to a cell phone with internet service and camera is highly recommended for this course.

  • Must co-enroll in two classes.
  • Choose one of the following: ART- 2217 Art and Nature (three credits), ART-1100 Intro to Visual Art and Culture (three credits), or 1823- Art Experiences across the US (one credit)
  • AND Choose one of the following: ART-1102 Drawing 2 (three credits), ART-1823 On Location Site Specific Art and Installation (for one credit or three credits)

Registration is open. Register early to ensure you seat! Fee: $1885 (Includes airfare, double occupancy hotel, entrance fees, transportation in the Southwest, most breakfasts; tuition is extra.) 

Watch a video to learn more about the Art in the Southwest trip.

Itinerary*

  • Virtual Meet up in Zoom
  • Fly to Salt Lake City
  • Golden Spike, Rocket Garden, Spiral Jetty
  • Bonneville Salt Flats, Sun Tunnels
  • Center for Land Use Interpretation, Bingham Copper Mine Overlook, drive to Moab
  • Drive to Mesa Verda National Park
  • Cliff Dwellings hike at MVNP
  • Drive to Fort Garland, CO, hiking and Great Sand Dunes NP star gazing
  • ​Making land art
  • Making land art
  • Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, CO, fly home
  • Working remotely on finishing artwork
  • Install work on campus

*Example itinerary, subject to change

Topics

How does scale play a role in experience throughout this trip? Consider the ideas of being “on top of” or being “inside of” in relationship to the work and sites we have visited.  What does Smithson say about entropy? How is entropy evident in the earthworks we visited? Where do you see physical or other evidence of time and/or timelines on this journey?
What are the origins of the word “Landscape”?  What are the pros and cons of land or resource management such as BLM and NPS? How has the term “conservation” been utilized by the American capitalist and political systems? How does conservation differ from stewardship? Explain indigenous viewpoints on these topics. How is Double Negative different from Bingham Canyon Mine?  Describe a location in terms of the beauty and terror of the sublime.
What significance does “the Road” (or path) play throughout the trip, both in person and in our readings/research? Virginia Dwan stated that Land Art is available for anyone to see, like the Grand Canyon, unlike art in museums such as the Museum of Modern Art in NYC. Do you agree or disagree? Explain your position. How can this idea of access be related to the rest of our trip and the National Parks? How does economics/money play a role? What role does tourism play?What spaces do we have access to but not take advantage of? Why? 
 
What does it mean to produce space? Give examples of problematic production of space and ideal production of space. How can art contribute to problematic and responsible modes of production of space? What roles do tourism, agriculture, industry, and military play? Who owns land? Where did the idea of land ownership develop? What are the pros and cons to the concept of ownership? Research and describe your thoughts on indigenous conceptions of borders and territory.
How has the human relationship to land evolved? How has this changing relationship shaped land itself and our conception of it? Describe Western and non-Western ideas related to land.  Where do ideas of the anthropocene become more present? How does technology influence and mediate our/your relationship to land?  How do these things help inform your conception of a contemporary sublime? How has your understanding of land and land use evolved over the course of this trip?

What to Pack

Space is limited to one small suitcase and one backpack per student. Plan to do laundry on the trip to save space. Below are some practical suggestions of what to include.

  • Backpack
  • ​Sunglasses
  • Brimmed hat
  • Water bottle/camelback
  • Sunscreen and bug repellent​]
  • Lightweight long sleeved shirt and pants
  • Water shoes/old sneakers for Salt Lake at the Jetty (will likely get ruined by salt)
  • Hiking boots & hiking socks (merino wool recommended)
  • Waterproof bag (could be as simple as zip-lock bags)
  • Camera/camera phone, solar charger
  • 11x14 hard sided sketchbook & variety of drawing tools
  • 1-2 lightweight, compact materials to add to or interact with the landscape (rope, string, fabric, special item of clothing, plastic, paper,  images, pre-made sculptures, etc)
  • Consider bringing a couple compact items such as a foldable camp shovel, measuring tape, retractable walking poles, plastic storage tube with strap, mini-tripod

Previous Southwest Trip

Dry desert in the southwest

Southwest - Dry Desert

Red mountains in the southwest

Southwest - Red Mountains

Contact Information|

Jackie Weaver, Associate Professor
Phone: (630) 942-3607
Email: weaverj1376@cod.edu