As part of Earthstock 2025, Stony Brook University art students got a unique opportunity to explore the intersection of environmental art, activism and fashion.
The project, “Wearable Ecologies: Second Life of Discarded Materials” — part of a foundation class called “Art Ideas” taught by Nobuho Nagasawa, a professor in the Department of Art — called for students to create attire from waste.
“Art Ideas” emphasizes the importance of addressing climate change. In her art class, Nagasawa highlights the significance of the message for students to understand and act on environmental issues.
The garments created by students functioned as both sculpture and performance, transforming waste into what Nagasawa described as “a second skin — one that tells stories of environmental degradation, consumer excess, and the potential for renewal.” The project highlighted the lifecycle of materials, sustainability and the body as a site of ecological awareness.
Ella Benzekri, Studio Art ’28, made a turtle outfit that included a sculpted turtle mask. “I really like sculptures so I wanted to make a turtle to represent the animals affected by ocean pollution,” she said. “I also tried to make the dress represent the movement of the ocean. It’s amazing how much wrapping they use that’s not necessary.”
“We really want students to think about what is destroying our earth, namely plastic,” said Nagasawa. “A lot of the students are wearing plastic today because it’s eaten by turtles and birds, and they are actually dying from the plastic that we waste. These students used materials that they found, like water bottles or garbage bags. Everybody’s been trying to be conscious about what’s really going on.”
The students took a walking tour through the Ashley Schiff Preserve, learning about the history of both the preserve and Stony Brook University from guide Sharon Pochron, an assistant professor and faculty director of sustainability studies at the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences.
“Ward Melville donated all the acreage that is Stony Brook University, and when he did, it was all forest that looked like this,” Pochron told the group. “Today we’re going to take an ecological time machine and go back in time so you can see the native species and how all this land was back then.”
Pochron told the group of the social unrest of the 1960s and how that, and a tragedy, led to the creation of the preserve.
“The Vietnam War was raging, and the 1960s saw significant student protests across the country, including Stony Brook,” said Pochron. “The 60s also saw the first Earth Day. In the middle of that unrest, Ashley Schiff, a popular political science professor and naturalist, connected with students and fostered a sense of community. He was sort of a panacea to the craziness for students, and he connected with his students in a way that the students really craved.”
Tragically, in the early fall of 1969, Schiff died suddenly and unexpectedly at the age of 37. His students, upset at losing their beloved teacher, championed the preservation of a forest in his memory.
“The students said, ‘we want this forest preserved forever. We want it forever wild,” said Pochron. “They were worried about the environment. Schiff used to have class on what he called ‘bramble runs,’ where they would walk through the woods and talk about the current problems and politics. The students wanted this land to be a tribute to him.”
In 1970, the 26-acre woodland, lined with oak and maple trees, once walked by Professor Schiff and his students, was set aside to honor him. Today the Ashley Schiff Park Preserve is located in the southern campus between Roth Quad and the Marine Sciences Research Center.
“They wanted to give a gift to future students of Stony Brook University, students 20, 50 and 100 years down the road,” said Pochron. “So the walk through this forest is a gift from Ashley Schiff’s students to you guys.”
Nagasawa described her frustration that many don’t understand climate change despite how often it is spoken about.
“Greta Thunberg did it brilliantly at the tender age of 15 years old,” she said, referencing the young Swedish activist’s impact at a global conference. “I was there in Sweden when she spoke and I sat right where she sat and I thought ‘this is really commendable.’ And I think young people everywhere can carry forward what’s important to this important message.”
— Robert Emproto
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