AN EXAMINATION OF SETTLER COLONIALISM AND ITS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS IN THE PUBLIC ARTWORKS AND PRIVATE LAND WALL PAINTINGS OF THE NEW DEAL THROUGHOUT THE GREAT PLAINS

Abstract

Utilizing quantitative methodologies, this research delves into the evolution and influence of private land murals and New Deal sculptures throughout the Great Plains region of the nation. These artworks from the New Deal era reflect and engage with topics from settler colonialism, environmental change, and cultural narratives, according to this study. The researchers aim to shed light on the complex interplay between visual arts, settler narratives, and environmental changes during this watershed period in China's history by employing a variety of methodologies, including spatial analysis, statistical analysis of historical documents, and substantive analysis of art representations. This study examines the demographic shifts and land use patterns that occurred during the New Deal era as they pertained to the Great Plains and settler colonialism in general. Public Works regarding Art Project (PWAP) and Works Progressive Administration (WPA) artworks from the New Deal period are methodically categorized and examined in this research. Investigated are their depictions of indigenous stories, agricultural ideals, and the interplay between settlers and nature. This study goes even further by analysing how different forms of creative expression have affected local communities, looking specifically at how they have affected issues of identity, belonging, and the lasting impacts of settler colonialism. By delving deeper into themes of nostalgia, exploitation, and conservation, the research finds that these creative representations have environmental consequences. By analysing the connections between artwork placements and environmental data using GIS and statistical approaches, this study reveals the tangible impact of art on land and how it has changed communities. Prompting critical conversations on the subtle dynamics of representation and reality within historical narratives about the topography of the United States, the findings will strengthen academic discourse in art history, studies of the environment, and colonial studies.