Justin Barfield

Justin Barfield is an Associate Professor of the Practice in Studio Art at the University of Notre Dame, located in Riley Hall of Art and Design. His work focuses on environmental concerns through printmaking and sculpture, addressing climate change, industrialization, and human impact on landscapes. Born in Louisiana, his experiences with Hurricane Katrina and the BP oil spill inform his exploration of environmental decay and societal resilience.

• Education: MFA (University of Notre Dame), B.A. (Southeastern Louisiana University)

Research interests include the intersection of natural disasters and human activity, material degradation as a metaphor for societal progress, and the visual representation of ecological scars. His creative works investigate themes of reconstruction, abandonment, and the cyclical nature of destruction and renewal through mixed media installations and prints.

Recent works explore material transformation (e.g., rusted paper, ceramics) to symbolize environmental decay. Key exhibitions include the South Bend Museum of Art and Urban Institute of Contemporary Art. His practice bridges traditional printmaking techniques with contemporary environmental critique.