This unit provides an introduction to the history of ideas associated with the perception, representation and conservation of the natural environment. Wilderness is a highly contested space, and this unit will emphasise the competing contemporary meanings of wilderness in the contexts of colonisation, environmentalism and human/non-human relations. Through field trip/s, students will explore methods of articulating the concept of wilderness, building narratives of site/s that respond to histories, encounters, and traces.
Karen Hall is the head of the Theory program at the School of Visual and Performing Arts. Her research interests include exploring how artists reuse the medieval past across geographic and temporal distance, and how creative work can reshape audience's experiences and perceptions of place. Karen's approach to teaching is based on enhancing students' communication skills and making connections between theory and practice.