Global Eco-Arts Residency

 

Course Description

The intention of this PANF course is to introduce students to the practice and processes of developing community engaged art projects centered on concerns for ecological justice in a setting outside of the traditional university program. In recent years there has been a proliferation of international artist residency programs and non-traditional museum projects that require professional artists to immerse themselves in unfamiliar environments, working with communities that have divergent perspectives rooted in unique social and political realities. Global Eco-Arts Residency is an opportunity for AMPD students to develop the skills, techniques and practical experience to navigate these complex professional situations in ways that are respectful, collaborative and do not repeat colonial practices. Taking direction from York’s UAP goal of diversifying whom, what and how we teach, this course will ensure AMPD students are known for their ability to work ethically in global contexts, while demonstrating an ability to integrate diverse ideas and worldviews in their research. This is a ten day long intensive course taking place at York University’s Las Nubes EcoCampus in the Brunca Region in Southern Costa Rica. Course work will involve research centred on the Alexander Skutch Biological Corridor preserve and surrounding communities with an emphasis on developing research methodologies and strategies for building community driven, site-oriented, and collaborative approaches to art production, ideally resulting in the installation of student and faculty projects on the EcoCampus. The resulting artwork/projects would be known as the Living Museum, and the intention would be to repeat this course on a regular basis in order to expand the scope and impact of the undertaking.