Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

This thesis investigates artistic expression in a community as a way of processing climate emotions. Even though climate emotions are widespread, they are often not openly discussed. Having an accepting community can facilitate expressing emotions, which can be beneficial for overall wellbeing. The object of study is an environmental art group, whose practices are analysed with the educational framework of Head, Hands, and Heart. Head, Hands, and Heart is a normative approach to learning, where engaging cognitive abilities, emotions and psychomotor abilities together achieve a deeper form of learning. Semi-structured interviews and participant observations were used to study members’ experiences in the art group. The findings uncover key elements of the art group, which are creating environmental art, expressing emotions, and having an accepting community. The Head is represented by reflections on environmental topics, the Hands by creating art and the Heart by sharing emotions. Additionally, the community of the group is essential, as well as its uniqueness as a societal safe space for emotions, which are perceived as rare. The discussion illustrates how Head, Hands, and Heart deepens members’ experiences in the art group. Based on the finding of the importance of community, an expansion of the theoretical framework is proposed. A fourth dimension, being Heard, acknowledges how community benefits each domain of Head, Hands, and Heart. Overall, this study contributes to the wider discourse on climate emotions, with a focus on the benefits of artistic expression in combination with having a community.