The Fine Art of Radical Gardening

As a collective, we will be creating a permanent
on-campus garden from building the beds and soil
to planting the seeds. The course will be taught
by environmental artist Fritz Haeg, who created a
community garden at Calarts in 2005 centered
around community organizing and gardening as an
ancient art form (look up Calarts Garden Fritz
Haeg). This Winter Session will serve as the
creation of the garden, and will extend into an
independent study course to continue maintenance
and development in the Spring semester. By
registering for this course, you are committing to
the maintenance of your plot and commitment to the
communal care of the garden during the spring
semester. 

We will be exploring the possible alternatives to
the conventional practice of the contemporary
artist. This generally involves the solitary
creation of work in a generic non-imposing studio
space and the solitary experience of the completed
work in an equally generic and non-imposing
gallery space. Perhaps this model is the most
expedient way to market the work of the artist.
What are the other social, political and economic
forces at work? Through these classes we will look
at the opportunities for the contemporary artist
to respond to the unique conditions that surround
them, to directly interact with the complex
reality of their time and place and the people
that are a part of their lives. These classes will
look in particular at the marginalized and
ephemeral art forms of gardens and events. Of
particular interest will be issues of public
space, communal experience and organic
processes.. 

The garden will include a small xeriscape
low-water garden of plants native to the region
and a community garden with approximately 30 plots
available to students, faculty and staff. Plots
could be used for anything from food production
and flower beds to experiments and art
installations. As an alternative to the computer
and technical labs, this space will provide
students with a location on campus to observe and
experiment with organic processes.