As a master’s practicum of interior design, this project is concerned with the role of design in shaping mass and individual identity. Cultural commodities, as components of the Culture Industry, effectively define a communal identity for the individuals. The Winnipeg Metropolitan Theatre is chosen as the site of this practicum. This Practicum is interested in defining new spatial relationships and functions. In order for these goals to be achieved, a new function has been defined. The public studio for ephemeral arts is open to the whole society for being involved in the artistic process. By using a qualitative research method, this practicum studies the theoretical aspects of modern mass identity. However being an interior design project, it heavily relies on the ideas of a selected number of theorists, mainly from the Frankfurt school, for building the theoretical foundation of the design. The new design is the result of questioning the existing space’s spatial hierarchy, the new function’s spatial requirements, and a critical approach toward the adaptive reuse of an existing building.

Blue-Print: Human/Hydrokinetic Drawing Projects, is based on an expanded field of drawing practice, centering on a series of spatial and time-based projects at various bodies of water around the world. Blue-Print drawing projects set out to describe a language that articulates a human/hydrokinetic relationship. This expanded drawing practice emerges through diverse forms of installation, video, land-art, kinetic sculpture, light works, sensor-drawing, photography, living-monochromes, sound, durational events and research. This expanded drawing practice is based on an inquiry into the relationships between land/place and thought/movement. It addresses the processes through which landscape, and its forms, are internalised in conceptual space, and the ways in which conceptual frameworks are projected outwards onto the landscape. The work is informed by, and contributes to, the paradigms of eco-poetics and psychogeography. Both of these paradigms engage with the relationships between the physical world and the human experience of space and time. Combining the two through my practice creates a view of the environment and the human as two interdependent circulatory systems. Bodies of water/weather cycles/conceptual systems/the human as a water-body, these are subjects in my work as much as the sense of circulation comes through methodologically and aesthetically in the actual making and form of my expanded drawings. This approach to art practice uses process in a particular way, that is as a primary means of making an artwork, although it could be said that such an approach is also an anti-method in as much as the 'method' is variable - it is continually invented given the situation/circumstances. What is consistent is a dynamic of proliferation; the work spreads out in different directions and in unpredictable ways. Here process is not for 'outcome' but is the work itself. My overall practice has taken drawing as the base from which to work. My works are combinational and connective. They are based on a type of research that is deliberate, intense and composite, and which activates the spaces of transformation that exist in the movement between landscape and thought, the circulation between environment and human. This investigation uses human engagement with moving bodies of water to generate drawings in a variety of ways, according to the specifics of each hydrokinetic system. This interest in human/hydrokinetic relationships stems from my experiences as a surfer and surfing is one of the means with which I create drawing works within this investigation. I am interested in the unique and dynamic complexity of hydrokinetics in each of the chosen locations and how this complexity of movement influences the drawing/ recording process. I am interested in generating real-time drawing works from the particular intersection of: place; time; human/hydrokinetic activity; ecological forces at work and the specific ways in which these variables all affect the resultant form of abstraction. Further to this I am interested in exploring the capacity of abstraction to access, and refer to, psychological space more readily than naturalistic renderings of the landscape.

Estudo da performance presencial no campo das artes visuais, a partir da análise e interpretação dos efeitos, práticos e teóricos, dos fenômenos estéticos informe e efêmero na produção de sentido e significado de algumas obras. Parte da apresentação, desenvolvimentos e implicações das ações poéticas Memória do Afeto (2000-2005) de Beth Moysés e Desenhando com Terços (2000-2003) de Márcia X, que atuam como fio condutor para as questões teóricas analisadas. Em seguida esclarece os conceitos instrumentais corpo, gênero, ritual e mestiçagem que servem como suportes para as manifestações do informe e do efêmero. Logo após fundamenta que o informe é um fenômeno estético chave na produção de sentido e significado das performances, por seu caráter de ruptura de limites da arte, da forma, das categorias e das convenções. Define o informe a partir das ideias de forma e de transgressão e sustenta que as ações poéticas selecionadas se distinguem como linguagem da diferença. Por fim fundamenta igualmente o efêmero como fenômeno estético essencial na produção de sentido e significado das obras, por seu caráter temporal e suas possibilidades plásticas. E identifica o tempo como elemento estético e como matéria prima das performances. São os cruzamentos teóricos e conceituais entre historiadores da arte, da religião e da cultura, filósofos, antropólogos e sociólogos, entre outros, as bases para dimensionar as performances investigadas. A pesquisa intersecciona diversos campos interdisciplinares que vão fornecer conceitos para pensar a prática artística à luz das abordagens iconológicas, semiológicas e estéticas. Conta com diversas fontes como uma ampla bibliografia interdisciplinar, reportagens de jornais, eventos, registro de artistas e entrevista. Conclui destacando como constatação significativa o fato de não existir diferença na forma de apresentação da performance no contexto das artes visuais, do teatro ou da dança, por sua característica de arte mestiça. E também o fato que, nas obras o foco está na preocupação com as relações humanas na arte, e onde as experiências individuais estão a serviço da construção de sentidos e significados coletivos. / A study of the presential performance in the visual arts field, from the analysis and interpretation of the practical and theoretical effects, of the inform and ephemeral aesthetic phenomenon producing sense and meaning to some works. It initiates with the presentation, developments and implications of the poetical actions Memória do Afeto (2000-2005) by Beth Moyses and Desenhando com Terços (2000-2003) by Marcia X, which act as triggers to the analyzed theories. Afterwards, it clarifies the body, gender, ritual and cross instrumental concepts, acting as supports to the manifestation of the inform and ephemeral. Subsequently it states that the inform is a key aesthetic phenomenon producing sense and meaning to the performances, due to its characteristic of breaking the limits of arts, form, categories and convention. It defines the inform from the ideas of form and transgression and states that the selected poetic actions are distinguished as language of difference. Finally, it also substantiate the ephemeral as aesthetic phenomenon essential to produce sense and meaning to the works, due to its time characteristics and its plastic possibilities. It identifies time as an aesthetic element as well as the performances' raw material. The theoretical and conceptual interlacement between art, religion and cultural historians, philosophers, anthropologists and sociologists, among others, are the bases to gauge the researched performances. The research intersects several interdisciplinary fields which will provide concepts to think the artistic practice according to the iconological, semiological and aesthetic approach. It counts with several sources with a wide interdisciplinary bibliography, news from newspapers, events, artists' records and interview. It ends highlighting as a meaningful finding the fact that there is no difference in the performance presentation in the visual arts, theatre or dancing context, due to its characteristic of cross art. It highlights also the fact that, in the works the focus is on the concerns with the human relations in art, and where the individual experiences are at service of building collective sense and meaning.

Autumn-olive (Elaeagnus umbellata Thunb.) is an exotic species that was introduced in the U. S. in the 1800's and widely promoted as an ideal plant for erosion control, wildlife habitat and soil remediation. N-fixation by autumn-olive through a symbiotic relationship with actinomycete Frankia, can alter nitrogen cycling and potentially impair water quality through nitrate leaching. Furthermore, legacy effects of accumulated N following vegetative management and restoration efforts are unknown in areas invaded by autumn-olive. The first objective of this research was to determine if there was a relationship between autumn-olive cover and stream nitrate-N (NO3--N) concentration in twelve forested headwater watersheds in southern Illinois. Secondly, changes in autumn-olive cover and stream nitrogen concentrations were assessed by comparing current results to data collected 6 years prior. Nine of the study watersheds had significantly greater autumn-olive percent cover in 2012 compared to 2006 and mean stream NO3--N concentration significantly increased from 2006 to 2012 in all watersheds. Also, a significant exponential relationship was found between stream NO3--N concentration and autumn-olive percent cover. The long term effects of autumn-olive management on N cycling were also investigated by implementing three different vegetation treatments on invaded areas: cutting of autumn-olive trees (CU), cutting and stump herbicide application (CH) and a no treatment application or control (CO). Treated plots showed that soil NO3--N increased temporarily due to the disturbance. However, after the initial post treatment period of one year, soil water NO3--N concentrations on treated plots shifted, so that CH plots had significantly lower levels of NO3--N than in CO plots. Soil water NO3--N in CU plots also decreased, but it was not significantly different from CH plots. Subsequently, soil water NO3--N declined on CH plots, reaching the lowest levels in the third and fourth year after treatment. Reduction in soil water NO3--N in CH plots was not accompanied by differences among treatments in soil N mineralization rates or soil C:N ratios indicating persistent high nitrification rates contributing to mineralization under treated and control plots. These results demonstrate that encroachment of autumn-olive can transform N cycles in natural areas and affect water quality by saturating the soil with mobile forms of N that are leached out of the system. Significant rates of soil N cycling can persist for years after removal of autumn-olive due to the cycling of legacy N in soils and litter. Nevertheless, the cut and stump herbicide application treatment produced positive vegetation management results by halting N-fixation, controlling autumn-olive re-sprouting and by gradually decreasing N availability and NO3--N flushing in treated areas. Treatment of autumn-olive should have an impact on stream water quality in headwater watersheds, given the significant observed relationship between autumn-olive cover and stream nitrogen levels.

Field scale research shows concentrated flow paths (CFPs) are prevalent in agricultural watersheds. They are an important source of soil erosion in cropland and significantly contribute to the transport and delivery of agricultural pollutants such as sediment and nutrients to nearby water resources. High resolution LiDAR data have enabled the investigation of the prevalence of concentrated flow at a large geographic extent. This study focused on identifying CFPs in 389 agricultural fields in Jackson County in southern Illinois and estimating the contribution of the CFPs to drainage of the fields. Addressing the lack of literature on factors influencing CFP characteristics, this study also investigates various topographical and soil factors that influence CFP development. LiDAR derived DEMs with a cell resolution of 3 meters were used to identify areas of flow concentration and delineate a drainage basin of each CFP using the Hydrology tools in the Spatial Analyst toolbox in ArcMap 10.3.1. Information on the topographical and soil characteristics were obtained from the DEMs and SSURGO database using the Soil Data Viewer 6.2 extension for ArcMap. Multiple regression analysis in SAS v. 9.4 was used to identify factors influencing CFP characteristics, while CART analysis in R v. 3.3.1 was conducted to detect linear dependencies among predictor variables. An average of 5 CFPs per agricultural field were observed in the study area with a minimum of 0 and maximum of 17 CFPs, but only two fields had no CFPs indicating a high prevalence of CFPs throughout the study area. The mean percent of field area drained by CFPs was estimated to be 81 percent with minimum of 36 percent and ii maximum of 100 percent. The majority of the fields, 85 percent, had more than 70 percent of their area drained by CFPs. Statistically significant regression equations were found for all CFP characteristics with slope, LS factor, K factor and organic matter as the factors influencing CFP characteristics. However, the factors only explained 2 to 22 percent of variation observed. Both multiple regression and CART analysis indicated slope as the most important influencing factor. Variation in CFP characteristics followed regional trends with higher values in the floodplain region and lower values in the rough hills region suggesting residual variation could be explained by other environmental factors along with topographical and climatological factors which were not included in the study. Results from this study highlight the prevalence of CFPs at a regional scale and their substantial contribution to field drainage identifying a need for research in quantifying the impacts of CFP on soil loss and water quality. This study also reports a need of future research to identify important factors controlling CFP formation and development that could help build empirical and physical models to accurately predict CFP locations and morphology. Such information could be useful in designing and targeting conservation practices that protect both soil health and water quality.

Estudo da performance presencial no campo das artes visuais, a partir da análise e interpretação dos efeitos, práticos e teóricos, dos fenômenos estéticos informe e efêmero na produção de sentido e significado de algumas obras. Parte da apresentação, desenvolvimentos e implicações das ações poéticas Memória do Afeto (2000-2005) de Beth Moysés e Desenhando com Terços (2000-2003) de Márcia X, que atuam como fio condutor para as questões teóricas analisadas. Em seguida esclarece os conceitos instrumentais corpo, gênero, ritual e mestiçagem que servem como suportes para as manifestações do informe e do efêmero. Logo após fundamenta que o informe é um fenômeno estético chave na produção de sentido e significado das performances, por seu caráter de ruptura de limites da arte, da forma, das categorias e das convenções. Define o informe a partir das ideias de forma e de transgressão e sustenta que as ações poéticas selecionadas se distinguem como linguagem da diferença. Por fim fundamenta igualmente o efêmero como fenômeno estético essencial na produção de sentido e significado das obras, por seu caráter temporal e suas possibilidades plásticas. E identifica o tempo como elemento estético e como matéria prima das performances. São os cruzamentos teóricos e conceituais entre historiadores da arte, da religião e da cultura, filósofos, antropólogos e sociólogos, entre outros, as bases para dimensionar as performances investigadas. A pesquisa intersecciona diversos campos interdisciplinares que vão fornecer conceitos para pensar a prática artística à luz das abordagens iconológicas, semiológicas e estéticas. Conta com diversas fontes como uma ampla bibliografia interdisciplinar, reportagens de jornais, eventos, registro de artistas e entrevista. Conclui destacando como constatação significativa o fato de não existir diferença na forma de apresentação da performance no contexto das artes visuais, do teatro ou da dança, por sua característica de arte mestiça. E também o fato que, nas obras o foco está na preocupação com as relações humanas na arte, e onde as experiências individuais estão a serviço da construção de sentidos e significados coletivos. / A study of the presential performance in the visual arts field, from the analysis and interpretation of the practical and theoretical effects, of the inform and ephemeral aesthetic phenomenon producing sense and meaning to some works. It initiates with the presentation, developments and implications of the poetical actions Memória do Afeto (2000-2005) by Beth Moyses and Desenhando com Terços (2000-2003) by Marcia X, which act as triggers to the analyzed theories. Afterwards, it clarifies the body, gender, ritual and cross instrumental concepts, acting as supports to the manifestation of the inform and ephemeral. Subsequently it states that the inform is a key aesthetic phenomenon producing sense and meaning to the performances, due to its characteristic of breaking the limits of arts, form, categories and convention. It defines the inform from the ideas of form and transgression and states that the selected poetic actions are distinguished as language of difference. Finally, it also substantiate the ephemeral as aesthetic phenomenon essential to produce sense and meaning to the works, due to its time characteristics and its plastic possibilities. It identifies time as an aesthetic element as well as the performances' raw material. The theoretical and conceptual interlacement between art, religion and cultural historians, philosophers, anthropologists and sociologists, among others, are the bases to gauge the researched performances. The research intersects several interdisciplinary fields which will provide concepts to think the artistic practice according to the iconological, semiological and aesthetic approach. It counts with several sources with a wide interdisciplinary bibliography, news from newspapers, events, artists' records and interview. It ends highlighting as a meaningful finding the fact that there is no difference in the performance presentation in the visual arts, theatre or dancing context, due to its characteristic of cross art. It highlights also the fact that, in the works the focus is on the concerns with the human relations in art, and where the individual experiences are at service of building collective sense and meaning.

Master of Science / Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering / Aleksey Sheshukov / The global requirements for food and agricultural products have increased enormously in recent years mainly due to increase in global population. More land is brought under human development and cultivation including marginal lands that are susceptible to degradation processes of erosion, waterlogging, and depletion of organic matter. The resulting effects include; deprivation of the roles performed by the environment, high costs of water treatment, and sedimentation of water reservoirs. This study aims at assessment of ephemeral gully (EG) erosion using topographic and hydrologically based models in two paired watersheds in Central Kansas. The effects of best management practices (BMPs) implementation on EG formation, and erosion rates within the watershed are discussed. The topographic index (TI) models used include: slope area model (SA), compound topographic index model (CTI), wetness topographic index model (WTI), slope area power (SA2), kinematic wave model (nLS), and modified kinematic wave model (nLSCSS). EGs predicted by each model threshold were compared with observed EGs obtained through digitization and field reconnaissance. The agreement of thresholds obtained from location and length approaches were compared by means of drainage density concept. Statistical analysis was performed by error matrix for EG location analysis, and root mean square error (RMSE) and Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) for EG length analysis. A TIN-based real-time integrated basin simulator (tRIBS) model, a physically-based, distributed hydrological model was coupled with an EG erosion component (Foster and Lane model) to estimate the erosion rates, and effect of installation of BMPs on reduction of EG erosion rates from agricultural fields. The results indicated that TI models could predict EG location with a maximum total accuracy of 70%. The effectiveness of TI models at prediction of EGs is affected by watershed features such as installed structural best management practices, roads, and culverts. The CTI model outperformed all the TI models at prediction of EGs with maximum Kappa and NSE values of 0.32 and 0.55 respectively, and a minimum RMSE value of 0.087 m. Structural BMPs are effective at controlling erosion from croplands, however, the effectiveness of structural BMPs at reduction of sediment loadings from EGs vary depending on surface cover, and BMP geometry.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Biological & Agricultural Engineering / Aleksey Y. Sheshukov / As the world faces an increasing demand for food due to the growing global population and the pernicious effects of land degradation, there is a need to overcome this challenge by using sustainable management practices for agricultural productions. One of the problems, which sustainable agriculture seeks to address, is the loss of topsoil due to soil erosion. Changing weather patterns also contribute to the average annual rainfall across the globe with an excess precipitation, which creates runoff and causes soil erosion. One of the significant yet less studied types of soil erosion is ephemeral gully erosion. Formed by the concentrated overland flow during intensive rainfall events, ephemeral gullies are channels on agricultural fields that can be removed by tillage operations but appear at the same location every year. Even though simplified ephemeral gully models estimate soil losses, they do not account for complicated hydrological and soil erosion processes of channel formations. The purpose of this research work is to investigate sediment sources and develop tools that can predict ephemeral gully erosion more efficiently. To achieve this goal, an experimental study was conducted on an agricultural field in central Kansas by tracking channel development, monitoring soil moisture content, and recording the amount of rainfall. Runoff and sediment loads from contributing catchment and critical and actual shear stresses were estimated by the computer model, and conclusions were made on the effect of saturation dynamics on the erosion processes. Furthermore, a two-dimensional subsurface water flow and soil erosion model was developed with the variable soil erodibility parameters which account for the subsurface fluxes and the effects on the soil detachment process. The model was applied to study the impacts of variable soil erodibility parameters on the erosion process for different soils and various antecedent soil moisture conditions. Also developed to estimate the soil losses at the field scale was an integrated spatially-distributed ephemeral gully model with dynamic time-dependent channel development. The model showed good fit by matching the experimental data. The results from this work can be used to advance the research of soil erosion prediction from concentrated flow channels and ephemeral gullies formed on agricultural fields.

Nas duas últimas décadas, o graffiti se impôs como um elemento visual das metrópoles brasileiras. Passou a povoar a rotina urbana e, num embate por espaços, vem disputando a visibilidade pública com as cores dos edifícios, as placas de sinalização e outros elementos da comunicabilidade urbana. E o faz mudando a sua proposta e original essência. Este trabalho procura documentar a trajetória do graffitti de meados da década de 1960 até às vésperas da conclusão da pesquisa, em 2011, acompanhando a sua transformação \"do subversivo ao consagrado\". Através da narrativa visual pontuada por uma seleção de 400 fotografias de autoria do pesquisador, destaca-se, em especial, a cidade de São Paulo, onde o trabalho dos grafiteiros vem despertando interesse mundial e não apenas entre adeptos, simpatizantes e editoras especializadas. O graffiti tem sido um interessante campo de estudo para críticos de arte, antropólogos, semiólogos, etc., porém, é na visualidade urbana que tem o maior impacto. / In the last two decades, graffiti has established itself as a visual element of the metropolis in Brazil. It became part of the urban routine, and in a dispute for space has been struggling for public visibility with building colors, traffic signs and other elements of urban communicability. And it does so by changing its intent and original essence. This paper seeks to document the trajectory of graffiti from the mid 1960s to the conclusion of the research, in 2011, following its transformation \"from subversive to acclaimed\". By means of a visual narrative marked by a selection of 400 photographs taken by the researcher, the city of São Paulo is emphasized, where graffiti is attracting worldwide attention and not only among supporters, sympathizers and specialized publishers. Graffiti has been an interesting field of study for art critics, anthropologists, semiologists, and scholars in general, but the greatest impact of this street art is on the urban scene.

Este é um estudo sobre o desenvolvimento e a prática de arte voltada para questões ambientais, cujo objeto de arte possa ser o próprio ambiente, por meio de ações ou intervenções em espaços públicos ou privados, construções de objetos de arte com utilização de materiais não convencionais, com proposta de foco ou crítica a questões ambientais. A pesquisa estabeleceu investir em um levantamento de artistas cuja poética se envolva com o meio ambiente, como um exercício de crítica de arte. Escolhi os artistas Brígida Baltar, Andy Goldsworthy e Carlos Vergara pelas poéticas. A análise da pesquisa caracterizou-se por um levantamento das principais características das obras escolhidas, as analogias estabelecidas entre a proximidade e as singularidades da poética de cada artista/obra analisadas com o meio ambiente. Considero que a crise ambiental pela qual passa o planeta pede uma nova postura dos artistas, uma necessidade de estar aberto às possibilidades de um fazer artístico junto ao meio ambiente natural, um fazer crítico, consoante com os novos tempos, reafirmando-se na função social da arte. / This is a study on the development and practice of art focused on environmental issues, whose object of art may be the environment itself, through actions or interventions in public or private spaces, construction of art objects using unconventional materials, including proposals of focus or critical environmental issues. The research established to invest in a survey of artists whose poetic engages with the environment, as an exercise in art criticism. I chose the artists Brígida Baltar, Andy Goldsworthy and Carlos Vergara by poetic. The research analysis was characterized by a survey of the main characteristics of the chosen works, the analogies made between the proximity of the poetic and the singularities of each artist / work analyzed with the environment. I believe that the environmental crisis in which the planet is a new approach calls for artists, one need to be open to the possibilities of an artwork with the natural environment, to do with a criticism way, according to the new times, reinforcing its position in the function social of art.