Current Courses

Landscape Studies: The Hudson River Valley
every fall term at Bard College

For centuries, the land on which the Bard College campus is located has been inhabited and utilized by various societies and cultures. In this course, we will critically examine the existing landscape to unfold the “story” of the land we currently call our home. Specific areas of study will include the history of Native Americans in the area, colonialism and slavery in the region; the Hudson Valley in art and literature and its role in the construction of an American identity in the 19th century; native plants and trees, agriculture, the river, and environmental activism in the area; green spaces and the buildings on campus. We will explore the past, present, and possible future of the Hudson Valley through a range of primary and secondary sources, including Anne Whiston Spirn’s “The Language of Landscape,” Patrick Wolfe’s “Settler Colonialism and the Elimination of the Native,” Myra Armstead’s “From Property to Proprietor: The Exceptional Journey of Alexander Gilson,” Susan Fox Rogers’ “My Reach,” Washington Irving’s “Rip Van Winkle” and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” Julia Rosenbaum’s “Visions of Belonging: New England Art and the Making of American Identity,” Lucy Sante’s “19 Reservoirs. On Their Creation and the Promise of Water for New York City,” and John Stilgoe’s “The River.” While some meetings will take place in the classroom, we will also spend time outside the classroom at places like Old Growth Forest, Montgomery Place, Blithewood, Bard Farm, Bard Field Station, Tivoli Bays, and the Hessel Museum to close-read the language of landscape and to explore how our current home and what we see in it has changed over time. Students choose a semester-long research project based on their interests, culminating in an exhibition. This course includes a voluntary trip to Olana in Hudson, NY. 

The Courage to Be: Artistic Encounters with Nature
taught at Bard College, "Courage To Be" Common Course Series

In this course, we will explore the theme of courage in artistic encounters with nature. Through the lens of artists like Ansel Adams, Georgia O'Keeffe, and Werner Herzog, we will examine how creative expression can serve as a powerful tool for environmental activism and cultural transformation. Literary works such as Henry David Thoreau’s Walden and Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring will illustrate the profound impact of courageous writing on ecological consciousness and conservation efforts. The course will delve into the ephemeral art of Andy Goldsworthy, whose creations, formed from natural materials, emphasize the transient beauty of nature and the impermanence of human interventions. We’ll also explore the bold and innovative approaches of filmmakers like Terrence Malick, whose films invite a spiritual contemplation of nature, and composers such as John Luther Adams, whose music evokes the vastness and power of the natural world. Throughout the semester, we will engage with various forms of creative expression, e.g. literature, visual arts, photography, film, music, and poetry, to examine how these artists and thinkers courageously confront the complexities of nature, whether by challenging societal norms, revealing uncomfortable truths about human impact on the environment, or inspiring a deeper, more mindful connection to the Earth. By the end of the course, we’ll have gained a deeper understanding of how art can both reflect and shape our perceptions of the natural world, and how courage in the arts can lead to profound environmental and social change. 

Other Courses Taught