Focusing on the use of recycled, biodegradable materials and the role of debris in art and culture, this course will revisit the art historical precedents of ready-mades and found object artwork, along with new ideas about urban ecology and waste reduction. The class will take trips to sites such as Materials for the Arts to scavenge for discarded materials, and to Fresh Kills Landfill to see one of the largest landfills in the world. Addressing the profound eco-crisis that is taking place on planetary, national and individual levels, discussion topics will include "The Specimen: Collect, Adapt and Disperse"; "The Cleanse: Material Purification and Transformation" and "Change the World."