CULTURING SUSTAINABILITY: A COOKBOOK FOR ARTISTS AND EDUCATORS By CAFFYN KELLEY Integrated Studies Project submitted to Dr. Gloria Filax in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts – Integrated Studies Athabasca, Alberta August, 2008 Caffyn Kelley Culturing Sustainability● page 2 Culturing Sustainability: a cookbook for artists and educators Caffyn Kelley Culturing Sustainability● page 3 by Caffyn Kelley [email protected] with special thanks to Gloria Filax, Sacha Kagan, Ann Rosenthal and Rajni Shah along with directors, students and members of the Islands Institute members of the Engaged Art Network and all the others who have contributed to this project Cover Illustration: Diana Lynn Thompson, www.dianathompson.net, Drinking blue-greens, installation September 2007. St. Mary Lake, which is a primary source of drinking water on Saltspring Island, is subject to blooms of cyanobacteria (blue-green algae). Thompson developed a project on the lake that allowed people to really “see” the algae – not just murky water. Used with permission. Caffyn Kelley Culturing Sustainability● page 4 Contents INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................................................. 8 PROJECT DESCRIPTION.................................................................................................................................................................... 11 RESEARCH QUESTIONS..................................................................................................................................................................... 14 RESEARCH METHODS....................................................................................................................................................................... 15 Practice-based research......................................................................................................................................................... 15 Situated Inquiry..................................................................................................................................................................... 15 Visual Research .................................................................................................................................................................... 16 Community Cultural Development....................................................................................................................................... 17 Open Space ........................................................................................................................................................................... 18 DEFINITIONS ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 19 Culturing............................................................................................................................................................................... 19 Sustainability ........................................................................................................................................................................ 20 Interdisciplinarity.................................................................................................................................................................. 21 Online Education .................................................................................................................................................................. 22 Engaged Art .......................................................................................................................................................................... 24 OUTLINE OF TEXT ............................................................................................................................................................................ 25 Complicating Objectivity and Subjectivity........................................................................................................................... 25 Fostering Systems Thinking ................................................................................................................................................. 25 Shaping Spaces of Possibility............................................................................................................................................... 26 COMPLICATING OBJECTIVITY AND SUBJECTIVITY ..................................................................................... 27 FROM OBJECT TO IMBROGLIO ........................................................................................................................................................ 30 “Banana is not an easy thing.” .............................................................................................................................................. 32 Exercise: Complicating Objects............................................................................................................................................ 35 Exercise: Life Cycle Assessment.......................................................................................................................................... 36 FROM SUBJECT TO SYSTEM............................................................................................................................................................. 37 TOXIC BODIES................................................................................................................................................................................... 42 ABJECTION........................................................................................................................................................................................ 46 Caffyn Kelley Culturing Sustainability● page 5 INTERROGATING WHITENESS.......................................................................................................................................................... 47 Exercise: Self and World – The Artist’s Palette ................................................................................................................... 49 TAKING TEA WITH MONSTERS........................................................................................................................................................ 50 Recipe: Mind Mapping ......................................................................................................................................................... 54 NON-DOING ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 55 Exercise: Standing Still......................................................................................................................................................... 55 Exercise: Self-Portrait with Metaphoric Objects .................................................................................................................. 57 PARADOX........................................................................................................................................................................................... 58 FOSTERING SYSTEMS THINKING ......................................................................................................................... 61 Exercise: Discerning Systems............................................................................................................................................... 66 COLLABORATIVE VERSUS CONVENTIONAL ART............................................................................................................................ 68 Exercise: Identifying Embodied Knowledge........................................................................................................................ 71 WATER .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 73 Betsy Damon: Living Water ................................................................................................................................................. 74 Exercise: The Harvest Game ................................................................................................................................................ 75 CARE OF THE SOIL............................................................................................................................................................................ 78 Mel Chin: Revival Field........................................................................................................................................................ 79 DEATH ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 80 Doran George: a Culture of Bereavement............................................................................................................................. 82 WASTE = FOOD ................................................................................................................................................................................