Deep Ecology and Speculative Futures: the Unlearning of Human Separation from Nature Through the Lens of Art

Abstract

Living in the midst of a climate crisis has prompted many artists and environmentalists to reconsider how humans as a whole relate to our surrounding environment. While mass culture positions humans as separate from nature, the theory of deep ecology reframes humans as a small part of a much larger interconnected system and asserts that all life has inherent meaning. Deep ecology provides an alternative way of thinking about what it means to live in an ecosystem and prompts a reimagining of a world that considers other life forms as valuable. When combining deep ecological principles with the practice of speculative design, artists have the freedom to use these possible futures as a way to interrogate their implications and define their potential. Through examining the work of artists focusing on a variety of environmental issues, the power of speculation as a tool will be explored through the lens of sustainable practice and deep ecology.