En Plein Air

This report reviews the “En Plein Air” an MA Animation workshop funded by Climate Action Funds. This ecocentrism-focused workshop integrates animation, sound, and experiential learning into an immersive exploration of environmental and social issues related to Climate and Social Justice. The workshop is a collaborative effort involving myself, Climate Advocate and lecturer Alejandro Martinez, and Sound Artist Milo Taylor.

When deciding on the artefact, the primary consideration was creating a transformative educational experience. We aimed to break away from traditional teaching methods and conventional structures of classroom education that might limit creativity and individual exploration. “En Plein Air” was designed as an immersive and experiential workshop, taking students out of the classroom. Hence, the decision to conduct the workshop amidst nature was a conscientious attempt to disrupt the routine and inspire fresh perspectives while intertwining the essential strands of animation, sound, and environmental consciousness.

The “En Plein Air” workshop unfolds in talks and interactive activities. The introductory talks, on 11 May 2023, led by me, Alejandro, and Milo, lay the groundwork, discussing how Nature is portrayed in animation and the role of sound. The workshop’s core occurred on 18 May 2023, where participants were taken out ‘en plein air’ to explore a nature reserve in London. The participants were split into groups, rotating between sessions: one focusing on observation and mark-making and the other on listening. These activities encouraged students to tap into their observational skills, using their chosen art materials to interpret and represent their surroundings. The day’s experiences culminate in discussion and sharing of their practice. A video co-created with Time In in Nature UAL showcasing the day’s activities can be viewed here https://vimeo.com/844897399.

The workshop also features three evening guest talks in June, including discussions and films on the use of AI Animation and Nature by Vladimir Todorovic; and the role of participatory art practices and film in transforming narratives about climate change by Kamila Kuc.

As an immigrant with Italian Irish-Roma heritage and a neurodivergent woman from a working-class background, my positionality significantly informs the design and delivery of the workshop. This diversity promotes various perspectives, encouraging students to explore cultural aesthetics and accommodating various learning styles. With his climate advocacy expertise, Martinez imbues the workshop with environmental awareness and responsibility. His contribution amplifies my political leanings towards environmentalism and strengthens the workshop’s focus on climate change. Taylor’s expertise in sound art provides a unique sensory dimension to the workshop, fostering creative exploration for students. His contributions align with my role as a maker, enabler, and MA Animation course leader.

“En Plein Air,” which draws inspiration from Freire’s pedagogy, encourages critical engagement with diversity, considering socioeconomic status, gender, political beliefs, and cultural background through geographical repositioning of the learning activity. The theoretical foundation references literature on inclusive learning, diversity, ecocriticism, and neurodiversity (Freire, 1970; Hooks, 1994; Coupe, 2000; Armstrong, 2012). Our positions are intrinsically woven into the fabric of the workshop, guiding its creation and implementation towards a comprehensive, inclusive learning experience that fosters critical thinking and awareness of diverse perspectives.

The context of  “En Plein Air” workshop is designed in response to the shifting educational and societal landscapes faced by the students of the MA Animation course at the London College of Communication (LCC) within the Moving Digital Image (MIDA) department embedded in a screen-based setting: classroom with rows of computer as sterile office studios. These students come from diverse backgrounds and carry the weight of anxiety and distance brought on by the pandemic. The workshop also engages with a significant portion of students from an education system heavily focused on grades where creativity and personal choice are often secondary considerations. This forms a crucial context in which the intervention is applied.

“En Plein Air” tried to break away from traditional teaching methods and provide an experiential learning platform. The workshop allows students to step outside the usual boundaries of the classroom and connect with nature, inviting a shift in perspectives.  “En Plein Air” aim to reflect on themes presented in Paulo Freire’s “Pedagogy of the Oppressed”. The structure of our traditional education system is morphed into one that promotes choice, dialogue and connection – integral elements highlighted by Freire for a meaningful educational experience. The dialogue here is not only amongst the students but also between the students and the natural environment they immerse themselves in, reflecting Freire’s insistence on praxis – reflection and action upon the world to transform it. The students are encouraged to discover their rhythm, place and pace, reflecting Freire’s ideas of problem-posing education, where individuals develop their power to perceive critically and transform the world collaboratively through geographical repositioning and personal choice.

In addition, “En Plein Air”  also aim to echoes Martin Buber’s philosophy in “I and Thou”. Buber suggests that true understanding and meaningful relationships occur when individuals engage in dialogical relationships, embracing the ‘Thou’ – the other in its fullness. In the context of this workshop, the ‘Thou’ can be seen as the natural environment. This allows students to move away from an ‘I-It’ relationship, where the other is treated as an object to be used, towards an ‘I-Thou’ relationship, where the other is genuinely engaged with and understood.

I reflected on Julie Smart’s perspectives in “Disability, Society, and the Individual” and Peter Block’s in “Community: The Structure of Belonging”. It allows students of all abilities to uniquely navigate and engage with the curriculum space. The inclusivity project associated with “En Plein Air” takes from Smart’s work, promoting an inclusive and empathetic society that accommodates and celebrates diverse abilities. As espoused by Peter Block, the principles of building an inclusive community find a place in this workshop by fostering a sense of belonging among diverse students.

Further, “En Plein Air” aims to embody Bell Hooks’ theory of engaged pedagogy. By situating the workshop in a forest, an environment different from the traditional classroom, hooks’ insistence on the significance of the learning environment is honoured. This change in environment disrupts conventional power dynamics and facilitates a shared exploration of knowledge, creating a transformative and holistic educational experience. In themes highlighted by Bell Hooks in “Reel to Real: Race, Sex, and Class at the Movies” it aim to invite students from diverse backgrounds to express themselves; it subtly encourages them to engage with nature’s diverse hierarchical and non-hierarchical system.

“En Plein Air” tries to be a critical intervention designed to address inclusivity and foster an understanding of climate and social justice, aligning with UAL’s Social Purpose mission. The project aligns with UAL’s third guiding policy – changing the world through creative endeavours. By emphasizing ecocentrism, the workshop seeks to foster a sense of responsibility towards the environment, particularly its focus on addressing the climate and influencing systemic change. The workshop also addresses the guiding policy of providing students with an education that equips them to flourish in a changing world where we hope students are empowered to approach these complex issues creatively and critically, skills necessary in today’s world.

The conception and execution of the workshop provided an invaluable exercise in turning pedagogical theory into meaningful action. The transformative potency of the workshop, as witnessed in the students’ engagement and output, is a testament to the enduring power of experiential learning. Evaluating the entire process, one can attest to its overall success while acknowledging the learning curve that such an endeavour naturally entails. The students and staff’s feedback signified a warm reception to the interweaving approach. The interdisciplinary approach, the integration of diverse perspectives and the conscious commitment to social justice have significantly enriched my understanding of the dynamic tapestry of the teaching-learning process.

On a critical note, coordinating a workshop in the natural environment did throw up its share of logistical challenges, including grappling with unpredictable weather conditions and ensuring the venue’s accessibility. Future workshop iterations could benefit from more nuanced planning to mitigate such external variables, potentially designing internal spaces at UAL that perform as a bridge from a classroom to a natural world: a ‘green room’ of sorts with live plants, natural light, changeable, movable, ownable spaces by the students to be free in and not controlled by.

In retrospect, key observations include the undeniable impact of an immersive natural environment in fostering creativity and ecological awareness, the success of integrating varied disciplines into a cohesive learning experience, and the importance of inclusive critical pedagogy. In practice, I have seen the palpable difference in students’ engagement levels when they can explore and express their creativity in non-traditional settings. Ideating and implementing this workshop has reinforced my conviction in the transformative power of experiential learning, the importance of a broad-based and inclusive pedagogical approach, and the significant potential of education as a vehicle for social justice.

This experience has enriched my practices and expanded my perspective on the effect of changing simple teaching methodologies. The insights from this process will shape future projects, inspiring continual exploration of diverse practices that nurture creativity, foster inclusivity, and promote deep-seated respect for our shared human and natural world.

Bibliography

Armstrong, T. (2012) Neurodiversity in the Classroom: Strength-Based Strategies to Help Students with Special Needs Succeed in School and Life. Alexandria, Virginia: Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development.
Block, P. (2008) Community: The Structure of Belonging. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers. Buber, M. (1937) I and Thou. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark.
Coupe, L. (2000) The Green Studies Reader: From Romanticism to Ecocriticism. London: Routledge. Freire, P. (1970) Pedagogy of the Oppressed. New York: Continuum.
Hooks, B. (1994) Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom. New York: Routledge. Hooks, B. (2008) Reel to Real: Race, Sex, and Class at the Movies. New York: Routledge.
Maiolini, N, (2023) Time in Nature UAL (2023) En Plein Air Workshop [Video]. Vimeo. Available at: https:// vimeo.com/844897399 (Accessed: 10 July 2023).
Neill, A.S. (1960) Summerhill: A Radical Approach to Child Rearing. New York: Hart Publishing Company.
Smart, J. (2009) Disability, Society, and the Individual. Austin, Texas: PRO-ED, Inc.
University of the Arts London (UAL) (2022) Our Strategy 2022-2032 [online]. Available at: https://www.arts. ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0036/339984/UAL-our-strategy-2022-2032.pdf (Accessed: 10 July 2023).