A.R. (Anna-Rosja) Haveman

Reimagining the Terraqueous: Ecocritical Art and Perspectives on the Dutch Coast

This dissertation foregrounds the ecocritical and creative engagement of contemporary artists with the tangible and imagined coast of the Netherlands. A selection of artistic practices is taken as an incentive to consider how the ‘terraqueous’—the relation between land (terra) and sea (aqua)—is represented, questioned and reimagined. Art shapes and is shaped by societal ideas about nature and dominant narratives about human relations with the sea. Disentangling what the terraqueous is, through artistic practices, allows us to think about the entangled geographical and social layers of landscape.

I argue that ecocritical art is situated, cuts across landscape dimensions, oscillates between admiring and scrutinizing attitudes towards nature, builds on both scientific and spiritual worldviews, and brings the artist’s intention back into the center of art history. By considering the material process of making, the artistic intentions of artists, and the reception of art this dissertation foregrounds tendencies and tensions that are intrinsic to ecocritical art endeavors. Artists build on and challenge scientific and technological knowledge; raise ecological awareness and inspire viewers to take action. Its complexity and contradictions make art particularly well-equipped for understanding the multifaceted ecological crises. This project aims to highlight how artists navigate these topics as they create ambiguous artworks.

The dissertation consists of two parts. The first part combines several, shorter case studies against the background of a more general historical discussion of the ‘battle against the sea’ that characterizes the Netherlands. This part addresses how artists represent and question terra and aqua as separable, whereas the second part addresses how they performatively acknowledge and embrace inherent terraqueous entanglements. In the second part the Wadden Sea, with its dynamic grounds, artistically produces alternative representations of the terraqueous through performative participatory practices. The linear, static ideas about the coastline are easily reimagined as fluid in landscapes where the daily tidal movements are so omnipresent.

The majority of case studies are from the twenty-first century, but two case studies are from the 1970s. The artistic practices are studied through the lens of Actor Network Theory, combining archival research, and artist interviews. Additionally, to study multi-sensorial experiences of performance art, I have used autoethnographical methods and have conducted participant interviews. The result provides insight into the myriad of idiosyncratic artistic practices and how they reveal layers of meaning of the terraqueous landscapes. Each artistic practice constitutes their own contribution to a specific artistic medium or language. I argue that diversity is key for ecocritical art in reaching different audiences.The range of case studies show that: whilst artists might intend to radically question the status quo, their practice more importantly allows us to notice complex interlocking dimensions of landscapes, become aware of uncertainties and realize the importance of collectivity.