A healing journey : redefining environmental challenges

Abstract

A socially engaged art research project brought together a group of local senior citizens and the general public to highlight environmental issues related to land conservation. This dissertation sought to answer the following research questions and to bring the results of this project to the attention of policy makers, and all other stakeholders in the environmental, economic and construction sectors. Does art change political views or do political powers change art? What is the true meaning of art? Is it an aesthetic form, a sensory or healing experience, or is it meant to change perception? The author addressed these challenging thought-provoking questions by the promotion of interdisciplinary practices and the use of qualitative methods through critical reflection, pedagogical approaches, and aesthetic representations. Arts-based research was deemed the most suitable approach for this project. Valuable information that was crucial to the development of the project was obtained from six senior citizens at the Active Ageing Centre, in Gozo. Qualitative data on their learning style and artworks was gathered from semi-structured interviews, focus group, photo-voice, observational skills, effective communication, painting processes, and land art intervention. The researcher explored the historical backgrounds and memorial insights of the protagonists/participants by making use of artistic strategies such as Photovoice. By gathering old photos related to the environment and taking recent photos of the same natural surroundings, participants could evoke memories of their childhood and make them take stock of the negative impacts of overdevelopment. Photovoice proved an effective self-reflective tool throughout the study as it enabled participants to investigate the differences between past and present environmental changes. The activity of walking helped participants reflect on the beauty of the surroundings in the face of the ruthless and relentless degradation of the rural and urban environment in Gozo. Working directly with nature helped the participating senior citizens to gain a deeper insight into nature’s value, its presence, and its purity. A spiritual connection with natural materials found in the field transmitted a powerful meaning which affected their visual senses, inspiring them to express these sensations by transmuting the same material into a series of mixed media paintings. The idea of participatory land art provided an important visual platform to convey messages of social awareness and engagement, and a safe space for participants’ artistic expression.