Toward an Ecological Urbanism: Public Engagement in Contemporary Art Practice

Abstract

This survey essay presents the artworks of ecologically engaged artists working within the context of the urban environment and its relationship to broader bioregions. The author reflects on the interdependency of urban infrastructure on living systems and their services, focusing on artworks that align with this ethic and weaving them within three areas considered imperatives toward an ecological urbanism. The projects vary in their approaches to engage communities toward awareness and stewardship of the natural world through an understanding of ecological systems.