Exhibition Open Tuesday 30th May to Saturday 4th June
Exhibition Opening and 2 Degrees Fundraiser 6pm Friday 2nd June
“Humanity will never be able to defeat a threat it cannot perceive.”
The Arid Lands Environment Centre (ALEC) and Watch This Space (WTS) are joining forces to present a collaborative climate change exhibition “60,000 Artists” for World Environment Day 2017.
This exhibition will feature works from more than 30 local artists who have been asked to respond to the article: Why Climate Change Needs 60,000 Artists https://theconversation.com/its-time-for-a-new-age-of-enlightenment-why- climate-change-needs-60-000-artists-to-tell-its-story-58774
The article by Elizabeth Boulton suggests that artists are an integral component of communicating the implications of climate change more effectively to the broader community.
“Climate Change is the biggest existential threat of our time with current projections see us tracking at a 4 degree temperature rise by the end of this century, despite scientists telling us that we must try and keep global temperature rise to under 2 degrees to avoid massive global disruption,” said Nicole Pietsch, Communications Manager at the Arid Lands Environment Centre.
“Studies are telling us that people are struggling to understand what climate change is, that they feel overwhelmed and powerless to do anything about it, and that people are fatigued by the gloom and doom scenarios, despite many places around the world starting to experience climate change impacts and it becoming a lot more ‘real’”, said Nicole Pietsch.
“In her article ‘Why Climate Change Needs 60,000 Artists’ Elizabeth Boulton argues we need 60,000 arts and humanities experts to help tell the story of climate change, to try and make it more tangible for global communities to understand. Here in Alice Springs we are trying to do our part in telling the story of climate change through this collaborative exhibition which asks community members to express their understandings, their fears and their hopes about our future in a changing world.”
“The works in this exhibition reflect a vast love and connection to the environment that we live in, and a deep sadness for what is being lost. Watch This Space and Arid Lands Environment Centre invites the Alice Springs community to come and see the exhibition, and become more motivated to take action to protect our climate,” Nicole Pietsch said.
The Arid Lands Environment Centre and Watch This Space (WTS) are valued long-standing Alice Springs community organisations. All proceeds from sales of artworks and the “2 Degrees” fundraising event will be split to support their work. The exhibition is open until Saturday 3rd June. All artworks are for sale.