It is no secret that environmental threats and climate change are having a massive impact all over the globe. Climate activism can take many shapes, but it always seeks to grab the attention of ordinary people. Artists are uniquely qualified to accomplish this through their subject matter, media and methods of display, engaging viewers through their different techniques and perspectives. Ansel Adams, collaborators Amber Ginsburg and Sara Black, and Bryce Davies demonstrate the power of different media and visual artistry.
Environmental conservation efforts set the groundwork for present-day activism before climate change was a global cause. Ansel Adams, seeking to draw attention to the threats posed by industrial development and the importance of national parks and conserving the wilderness, took breathtaking photographs displaying awe-inspiring American vistas and natural landscapes. Such conservation efforts raised awareness of the costs of commercial and industrial encroachment, highlighting the potential for devastation of landscapes that had stood for millennia.
Artists Amber Ginsburg and Sara Black also have made efforts to make a positive impact through their response to Joseph Beuy’s 7,000 Oaks project, which involved the planting of oak trees in Kassel, Germany, in 1982. Ginsburg and Black met with scientists and other experts to fell a diseased tree. They then made 7,000 pencils with the wood of the tree as part of their larger 7000 Marks project, and they held workshops and collaborations in which participants used these pencils, incorporating a tangibility and interactive element into climate change discussions. They gave a second life to the tree, with the goal of saving other trees from similar fates and advancing broader environmental awareness and action.
Another way artists use their talents to attract attention to climate change involves street or graffiti art. Though these art forms are often associated with disrespect and vandalism, they can also provide an opportunity for artists to convey their ideas to many people every day. The artist Bryce Davies, working under the name Peaceful Progress, creates outdoor murals in highly visible locations, primarily in Wales. He has worked together with environmental groups like the WWF (World Wildlife Fund) and local advocates to spread his message, and he collaborates with other artists and local communities. For example, his Earth Hour mural – Rhyl incorporates poetry by a Welsh poet, Gruffudd Owen, who collaborated with local schoolchildren. This combination of visual and written messages about the importance of addressing dangers to the climate and the environment empowered the local community and continues to offer a visible message to all who see it.
Artists like these play a critical role in raising awareness and enhancing engagement and accessibility of messages to support environmental activism. Different forms of art appeal to, and attract the attention of, different people, so in combination with other forms of artistic endeavors including written work and musical compositions, artistic expression provides powerful tools to convey critical messages in ways that can reach many people.
Articles and Websites Used:
- Bryce Davies:
- Ansel Adams:
- Amber Ginsburg and Sara Black:
