Justice Project

Notes:
Question: Can art change the world? Does art have an impact on
urgent issues such as climate change?

● Art can be an effective form of activism

● “If artists create compelling works that call attention to the problem and offer hope for a
solution.” (​https://psmag.com​)
● “Art that was “beautiful and colorful depictions of sublime nature that are showing
solutions to environmental problems” was more likely to invoke hope, enthusiasm, and
awareness of climate change and the effect it has on us.”
● “We suggest that activist art, including environmental art, should move away from a
dystopian way of depicting the problems of climate change," they conclude. Rather,
activist artists should keep in mind the power of "offering solutions, and emphasizing the
beauty and interconnectedness of nature."

How artists can encourage climate change (​https://www.theguardian.com​):

● Show that it is more fun to be a creator than a consumer. Produce an emotional

connection for people.
● Use the media to influence opinion. Media is everywhere and can be accessed from
everywhere that it is necessary so we need to use that to our benefit.
● Highlight the downside of car culture. Show that it isn’t good but also show how we can
change. Don’t focus too much on the bad, (see the last bullet point of the first question).
● Encourage human empathy. Care about the people that we haven’t met.
● Go big with the media, like using the TV “Primetime Power”
● Lead by example. Be the change you want to see.
● STAY HOPEFUL. Don’t just go around telling people they are going to die and that’s
that. Give someone hope.
● Keep fossil fuel companies out of cultural spaces. They have made us think that it is
okay but it isn’t.
● Offer concrete solutions. Give people something to do that they can do right then and
there or will remember and knows that it will make a difference.
● Catch them young, teach the kids so that they can have a passion and make a
difference (see if Leith had any ideas)
● Stand out from the noise. Do something different that catches people’s attention.
 ● Tell stories to make it seem real. Use the rhetoric to make people want to change things
and help out.

Real examples:

● Climate change game

● Climate change song ​https://youtu.be/5t08CLczdK4
● Climate change dress ​https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/atom/5722
● Glacial dance ​https://vimeo.com/129677171
● Song about climate change (with words)
https://soundcloud.com/matthew-burtner/you-sink-into-the-singing-snow
● Bringing climate change home - Xavier Cortada created signs for his “Underwater
Homeowners Association” project that showed how much sea-level rise, in feet, would
flood a home.
Artists:

● Mel Chin
● Xavier Cortada
● Dear Climate
● Zaria Forman
● Allison Janae Hamilton
● Bharti Kher
● Mary Mattingly
● Eve Mosher
● Erin Jane Nelson
● Alexis Rockman

Mel Chin:
● Mel Chin has used different techniques to create his art that persuades public
discourse for the past 40 years. His art hopefully, sparks meaningful
change—around social causes.
● Now, the North Carolina-based conceptual artist is taking on the timely topic of
climate change.
● Using mixed reality to create some insane art depicting social issues in hopes to
make people more aware of what is going on and what we can do.
● Known for works that require multidisciplinary, collaborative teamwork, and
pieces that join cross-cultural and social issues to alert the public.
https://www.unmoored.nyc/
My Approach Analysis:
Though it may not always be thought of first, art can be a great form of activism. It can
reach people of all kinds, the rich upper-class people, and the lower class people. Not only can
it reach many people, each piece and each story told through the art is different. The art can
portray emotions that media such as the news cannot, persuading the viewer to take action into
their own hands and the hands of people around them. There have been many mediums of art
used to inspire action on climate change as well as other social injustices. I am focusing on how
you can get people to take action on climate change.
Though art is an amazing way to display social-issues through the infliction of strong
emotions, there are some limitations to it. One of the main limitations would be that not many
people are exposed to the piece. For instance, if the piece is on display in some sort of art
museum or gallery, you are more likely to reach fewer people and only the people with more
money. Though this may help in the fact that you are reaching the wealthier people, you are not
necessarily reaching enough. Mel Chin uses amazing digital and 3-d art through virtual reality to
depict what Times Square will look like with the rising sea levels. This is an amazing piece and it
is done in a wonderful way however, it only reaches a select type of people. These people
would be the people in Times Square and the people with access to this augmented reality. You
can read about the piece and see how it works, however, you can’t experience it for yourself
unless you are one of the two people stated above and you are very unlikely to come across
this piece on a normal day with no intention of finding it.
For my approach, I would do my best to create a piece that reaches the largest group of
people possible. Incorporating people of all ages, wealth, and where they live. The art piece that
I would create would be compelling calls attention to the problem and offers hope for a solution.
I would then try and take that piece and put it on social media to get the communities all over
the world to see what is going on, reach more people of all different kinds. It would be very hard
to reach those in rural areas though.

Proposal:
I am proposing a work of art that targets uniqueness and the largest crowd of people
possible. I understand that it is very unlikely to reach everyone on Earth so, we will eliminate
some of the smaller communities that may not have as much impact on Climate change as the
other larger ones. The main communities I want to target are the people with money and power,
the younger generations, and the countries with the largest effect on climate change. I want the
work of art to be large like the statement I am trying to make and provocative of emotion. I am
thinking of multiple art pieces, each a different medium and style but still catching the eye and
giving the emotions I want. I want each piece to be a specific place or thing on Earth that is
being harmed directly by climate change, create the piece then bring it and display it in that
place, or document it being there. Each piece would be unique and corresponding with each
place such as Bears Ears or the rainforests or small communities that are at risk.
I think that AHS should accept my proposal because above all, Animas promotes
creativity and taking chances. This piece is perfect for that because it is using an idea and
taking it to the next level. You can make pieces of each place but put them in the context of the
real thing and you get the feeling that this is really happening but we can really help. I would
hope that the art piece would give a person hope that it can change, it can get better, and YOU
can do that. This is why AHS should accept my proposal. Not only does this fit what Animas is
trying to do with promoting creativity, but it targets the biggest threat to the human race, climate
change. Many artists of all kinds around the world are trying to tackle climate change and I think
that this is a very unique way to go about it and something that will affect the audience as
intended. Animas is a very unique school and with an idea like this and taking it to a bigger
picture can really have a chance at raising awareness and completing Animas’ goal of “creating
critical thinkers and engaged citizens, through innovative, student-centered curriculum.”