Winter quarter 2026

Professor John Lopez

This course examines the intersection of visual culture and the environment through the lens of ecocriticism. Students will explore how texts, artworks, and visual media represent nature, environmental crises, and human–nonhuman relationships. Readings and case studies will include painting, photography, and visual culture, among others, with attention to historical and cultural contexts. Topics include representations of wilderness, urban ecologies, environmental justice, and climate change, alongside the ways artistic practices shape ecological thought across different geographies and time periods. By analyzing both textual and visual narratives, students will gain a critical framework for understanding how art reflects, challenges, and influences cultural attitudes toward the environment.

AHI 198 fulfills the following Art History Major/Minor requirements: Upper Division Undergraduate Seminar (AHI 190A-L) or Distribution Area 6 (Art and Issues Across Chronologies) or Upper Division Elective.

CRN 10671

Location: Shrem Museum of Art 1001
Day/Time: Thursday, 2:10–5:00 PM