As an artist who wants to see change in the world, I am currently very engaged in what happens at the Glasgow climate summit next week. I am still hopeful, but perhaps not optimistic, that deals can be done. Critical deals for countries to bring their emissions down to the level needed for the world to remain hospitable, and finance to support climate vulnerable countries to adapt and pay for the loss and damage that climate change will mean.
It is also a good time to reflect on our own practice. This week I have signed up to ‘culture declares emergency’ - a growing movement of individuals and organisation declaring climate and ecological emergency. Their vision is “that the cultural sector is a leading contributor in creating a regenerative future that protects the planet and sustains everyone, everywhere”. This means ‘telling the truth, taking action and seeking justice’ as artists. I am particularly excited about working towards a regenerative future - one that is inclusive, healthy, life-supporting, resilient and adaptable.
Signing up to the declaration is not just about making bold statements - it’s about taking action.
As a visual artist, I have two significant impacts:
The artwork itself - the materials and energy I use, the way I transport my paintings etc
The way that people engage with my art
So my commitment is to address both of these. To reduce the impact of my artistic practice and to use my art to engage others in the challenges and the opportunities of the climate and ecological emergencies.
I am going to be exploring the first impact in more depth over the coming months and sharing resources to help artists to do more to understand and reduce their impact. But it is the second that I am particularly interested in right now.
In my other job I focus on social and environmental change - influencing governments to drive climate justice and address inequity and supporting organisations to deliver on the sustainable development goals. This is also the underpinning of my artistic practice. As artists we have the opportunity to explore what the emergency means with others - to communicate challenges through beauty, to engage communities and to challenge the current system through our work.
In my work I tell stories of the challenges and opportunities that we currently face. In ‘Energy Transition (North Sea)’ I share a map of the North Sea with all the oil and gas exploration. I then overlay the offshore wind farms. The map becomes an abstract painting - hopefully a thing of beauty - but the message is there for people who want to find it.
The question that keeps coming up as part of this practice is ‘does it matter if people know what the painting is about?’ Am I happy for people to take the art at face value - to not know that it is a map of Rohingya refugee camps, or seagrass protected areas. I have been conflicted on this. I am happy for art to bring joy and interest to people’s homes and in one way that is enough. It also helps to be paid! But this declaration has crystallised my thinking on this. It puts me in an artist tribe who are about telling the truth and seeking justice. That means that it does matter.
I need to find ways to make that work in a way that is not preachy or hectoring. I want to be able to actively engage with audiences in a way that is vibrant and energising. For the art to take individuals further in their own journeys to improve society and address the climate emergency that is going to change all our lives. In my recent map room exhibition I asked people to share what they were concerned about - as a route to deeper engagement. I was fascinating and I will share more on that in another blog. I learned a lot. The next step on this journey is to learn from others; simplify these explorations and make them more immediate, perhaps more explicit; to experiment with different ways to engage audiences. Ideas and suggestions are very welcome. The declaration is just the start.
For more information about ‘culture declares emergency’: https://www.culturedeclares.org