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5 artworks as a remedy against climate apathy
This week, I saw a (video) reel on Instagram in which a woman cringed repeatedly when she realised that every piece of plastic she had ever used is still around, somewhere on Earth. Every single piece. An overwhelming idea when I think about it: from my first toy to the "disposable plastic" at the supermarket. Professor and researcher Charlie Gardner tweeted yesterday, “I am an expert on the climate and ecological crisis and I am ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIED. You should be too.” The tweet went viral immediately. Yet there were also those in the comments who pointed out that fear might not be the most productive emotion and can quickly lead to apathy — and thus: a lack of action. It is better to be well informed. For example, did you know that food waste is much worse for the environment than the use of plastic? And a January study by Yale, Purdue & MIT found that turning off your camera during your Zoom meetings can save up to 96% in energy. Successful Dutch campaigns like the "a better environment starts with yourself”-campaign have made us take a critical look at our own behaviour — because I am certainly no saint myself. But, as newspaper Trouw already headlined in 2017: “The key to a cleaner world lies with 100 companies” — companies like the Dutch Tata Steel for instance. The painfully beautiful Netflix documentary by David Attenborough also hit home. The environmental veteran explains exactly what the expectations are; what we can expect, very concretely, for 2030, 2040, 2050… It may make you despondent, but here too artists can offer perspective. Just like in many other areas, they know how to activate a multitude of emotions, also in this area. In this collection, I highlight five artists who mention global warming in an interesting way in their work, directly or indirectly.
6 Éléments multimédias ᛫ 38 Oeuvres disponibles
8 Spectacles ᛫ 0 Points forts ᛫ 0 Recommandations
Jonat Deelstra's guilty pleasure is watching YouTube films about monster waves, avalanches, tornadoes and floods. Natural phenomena are common in his work, but not always in a destructive way. For example, Deelstra has made a series with the telling title "Funeral home the North Sea" in which he mentions how burying people at sea can ensure that new life forms can settle here, including coral and anemones. Deelstra: “Due to an increasingly warmer climate, an enormous amount of coral can grow in the North Sea in the next hundred years. But because the sea has literally been fished bare, these organisms cannot yet settle. By placing structures in the sea we can ensure rebirth.” In 2018, two wind turbines were built in the North Sea and the area that connected these turbines was the first location where scientists experimented using this futuristic method.
10 Éléments multimédias ᛫ 48 Oeuvres disponibles
8 Spectacles ᛫ 8 Points forts ᛫ 10 Recommandations
In the Rising Water exhibition in the Scheepvaartmuseum, photojournalist Kadir van Lohuizen pointed out how Miami, that houses nearly 22 million people, is expected to be completely evacuated by 2060, due to the rapidly rising water levels. Nevertheless, 32 residential towers on the beach are currently being planned. Russian-American photographer Anastasia Samoylova also captured the Floridian city, focusing on the betraying hints, traces of what is to come. Nevertheless, the end result is surprisingly beautiful. When Samoylova moved to Miami in 2016, the city experienced its hottest summer ever. In her work, the photographer shows paradise-like nature of the tropical city, from the warm pastel shades to the dreamy seascapes. But she contrasts that with signs of water damage and a lack of a secure foundation. Samoylova: “I found myself in this constructed landscape sublime tableau, because this whole place is so dependent on its own image and presentation. There are so many issues that are concealed by utopian imagery. The incessant promotion of travel and the city as a desirable destination mixed with the images used to promote real estate sales are the two driving forces behind Miami’s economy. You see all these billboards covering up rusting facades, and when you peek through them you see the dug out foundations filled with water.”