3.0

Average Course Rating

This course will engage with the Baltimore Museum of Art’s ongoing environmental initiative, Turn Again to the Earth, to explore the relationship between cinematic portrayals of the natural world and works of art in the BMA’s collections. Focusing on three upcoming exhibits—Deconstructing Nature: Environmental Transformation in the Lucas Collection; Engaging the Elements: Air, Fire, Water, Earth; and The Way of Nature: Art from Japan, China and Korea—we’ll examine paintings, prints, photographs and other materials at the BMA in tandem with a series of films that similarly pose questions about environmental change and human intervention in the natural world. We’ll explore how culture and history inform representation across visual media and through time in three distinct areas: industrialization in the early 20th century American West; Europe and late 20th century environmental change; and natural and unnatural environments in contemporary Asia. Filmmakers under consideration will include Robert Altman, Michelangelo Antonioni, Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Sky Hopinka, Bong Joon-ho, Hirokazu Kore-eda, Terrence Malick, Kenji Mizoguchi, Kelly Reichardt, Agnes Varda, and Jia Zhongke. Class will take place at the Baltimore Museum of Art. Priority will be given to FMS majors and minors.