Leaving Cert Art: Art & the environment
How often Art & the environment comes up on the Art papers, every year it was asked, and questions to try.
HL Asked on 2 of the last 3 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2025. most years
OL Asked on 1 of the last 3 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2024.
Quick ones on Art & the environment.
- Real falling snow made by machines
- An artificial sun made of lamps and mist
- A flooded floor of real seawater
- To make the work last forever outdoors
- Because new materials have been banned
- To reduce waste and comment on consumption
- Giverny
- Pont-Aven
- Arles
Show the answers
(a) An artificial sun made of lamps and mist
(b) To reduce waste and comment on consumption
(c) Giverny
Higher Level
Asked on 2 of the last 3 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2025. most years
Every paper, year by year
| Year | Where it came up |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Q1 |
| 2024 | Q1 |
| 2023 | Not asked |
Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.
More Art & the environment questions
Art & the environment, 2 marks
J.M.W. Turner's late seascapes focus mostly on?
- Crisp architectural detail
- Portrait likeness
- Light, weather and atmosphere
Show the answer
Light, weather and atmosphere
In works like Snow Storm – Steam-Boat off a Harbour's Mouth, Turner dissolves forms into swirling light and spray, showing nature's power over people.
Art & the environment, 2 marks
Sculpture in Woodland at Devil's Glen, Co. Wicklow, places artworks?
- On a motorway roundabout outside a town
- In a forest, responding to the natural setting
- Inside a busy city shopping centre, under glass
Show the answer
In a forest, responding to the natural setting
Artists make site-specific works from and for the woodland, and the works change as the forest around them changes.
Ordinary Level
Asked on 1 of the last 3 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2024.
Every paper, year by year
| Year | Where it came up |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Not asked |
| 2024 | Q4 |
| 2023 | Not asked |
Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.
More Art & the environment questions
Art & the environment, 2 marks
Bordalo II makes huge street-art animals from what?
- Carved and polished marble
- Fresh flowers and leaves from gardens
- Rubbish and scrap materials
Show the answer
Rubbish and scrap materials
The Portuguese artist builds animals from waste like plastic and old car parts. The materials carry the message: our rubbish is harming the creatures shown.
Art & the environment, 2 marks
Andy Goldsworthy mostly makes his art from what?
- Oil paint on stretched canvas
- Natural materials found on site
- Neon lights and moulded plastic
Show the answer
Natural materials found on site
Goldsworthy uses leaves, stones, ice, twigs and snow. Many works melt, rot or wash away, so he photographs them. Change and time are part of the art.
Art & the environment, 3 marks
How does making art from reclaimed materials help the environment?
- It reuses waste instead of sending it to landfill
- It turns old waste into new plastic for other products
- It uses more energy than using new materials
Show the answer
It reuses waste instead of sending it to landfill
Reusing old wood, metal, fabric or plastic cuts waste and the need for new materials. It also makes viewers think about what we throw away.
Other Art topics
- Art elements & design principles
- Fashion, costume & jewellery
- Galleries, museums & curation
- Graphic design & advertising
- Public art, murals & street art
- The working artist & career
- Visual Studies Framework
- Artists: processes & media
- Artists: theory & thinking
- Craft: textiles & ceramics
- Photography, film & animation
- Architecture & interior design
- Art as social commentary
- Product & vehicle design