Stony Brook University students engaged in a unique project as part of Earthstock 2025, focusing on the intersection of environmental art, activism, and fashion. Under the guidance of Nobuho Nagasawa, a professor at the Department of Art, students created attire from discarded materials. The project, titled “Wearable Ecologies: Second Life of Discarded Materials,” was part of a foundational class called “Art Ideas.”
In “Art Ideas,” Nagasawa emphasizes the importance of understanding and addressing climate change. Students created garments that served as both sculpture and performance, transforming waste into “a second skin— one that tells stories of environmental degradation, consumer excess, and the potential for renewal.” This work highlighted material lifecycles and sustainability, using the body as a site of ecological awareness.
Ella Benzekri, a Studio Art student, crafted a turtle outfit including a sculpted mask, aiming to represent animals harmed by ocean pollution. “I really like sculptures so I wanted to make a turtle to represent the animals affected by ocean pollution,” she commented. “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.”
Professor Nagasawa expressed the desire for students to think critically about environmental harm, particularly plastic waste. “We really want students to think about what is destroying our earth, namely plastic,” she said. Students sourced their materials locally, including water bottles and garbage bags. “Everybody’s been trying to be conscious about what’s really going on,” Nagasawa added.
The students also participated in a walking tour through the Ashley Schiff Preserve, led by Sharon Pochron, an assistant professor and faculty director of sustainability studies at the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences. Pochron shared insights about the history of the preserve and Stony Brook University, highlighting the social movements of the 1960s and the role of Ashley Schiff, a political science professor who helped foster a sense of community among students.
In 1970, the Ashley Schiff Park Preserve was established in memory of Schiff, following his sudden death in 1969. Pochron recounted how students of Schiff championed the preservation of the forest. “The students said, ‘we want this forest preserved forever. We want it forever wild,’” she recalled, emphasizing the symbolic nature of the forest as both an ecological haven and a tribute to Schiff's legacy.
At the conclusion of the project, Nagasawa reiterated the importance of understanding climate change. Referencing Greta Thunberg’s impact, she said, “Greta Thunberg did it brilliantly at the tender age of 15 years old. I was there in Sweden when she spoke... And I think young people everywhere can carry forward what’s important to this important message.”