How
can Art of all things, possibly save us from doomsday (and when I say
“Art”, I mean art in its various guises of course: literature,
music, dance, theatre, cinema, painting, sculpture, drawing,
architecture and so on)?! I believe the man-made climate crisis is
being exacerbated and accelerated by our lack of solidarity and the
waining of morality; can Art really help us stem the tide? Well,
yes is the answer, it can help...
Artists
can raise awareness of the dangers of pollution, the destruction of
biodiversity, the harm we cause to the fauna and the flora. For
example: photos which show emaciated polar bears lost on the melting
ice cap can shock people into feeling concern for their plight and to
support a charity like the World Wildlife Fund.
Artists
can make us aware of the consequences of human activity on the
environment through protest songs, in documentary films, through
street murals, political cartoons, sculptures, protest banners and
slogans, etc. Art can inform, inspire us to act, give us hope...
Art
can also convey the necessity for us to act together. Indeed,
nowadays, people are more individualistic than before; they only act
for themselves and don’t think about the consequences of their
actions on others and on the world in general. Art can bring people
together in a common cause, because if enough people are moved and
challenged by a work of art (on an environmental theme), if their
curiosity is raised, be it in an art gallery, during an Arts class,
on a visit to a museum, on TV or radio, or just in the street, they
will share its message, comment it, discuss it, be inspired to come
up with ideas to act, become committed to a cause that tries to make
the word a better place...
Art
is especially powerful as a means for children to learn about the
state of the world; it will help them become more open-minded and
responsible; they will think about how they act on a daily basis and
how the adults around them behave. If they discover Nature through
cultural activities they will be more inclined to want to protect
the planet, surely?
Art
encourages us to see the world differently, to perceive the
extraordinary and find joy in in the ordinary. Eric-Emmanuel Schmidt,
the French philosopher who wrote “Lorsque j’étais une oeuvre
d’art”, said: “L’art aide à vivre” (“Art helps us live”)
and I think that it is so true, don't you? Through art we learn to be
amazed, to see how wonderful life can be, to appreciate the planet as
a beautiful work of art in itself.
What
did Fyodor Dostoevsky, the writer and philosopher, mean when he
wrote: “Beauty will save the world”? By
“the world” Dostoevsky, back in the 19th
century, meant people. I
think human
beings strive to exist because they see meaning in beauty and a sense
in trying to preserve it. Our planet is surely the ultimate work of
beauty and therefore needs, literally nowadays, to be preserved. So
many of us have lost our sense of awe at the beauty of the world that
our lives feel meaningless. Artists have a vital mission: to give us
back meaning through beauty, thanks to their works of Art, and so the
will to exist and to cherish the world on which we depend...
Blandine PONCHON writes:
ReplyDeleteJohn Bohannon launched “Dance your Ph.D.”, an annual contest which challenges scientists to interpret their PhD research as dance. This is a good example of how art, here, dance, can be used to explain complex ideas to more people. Art can be a means of sharing knowledge; better informed people will be better able to act intelligently to find solutions to our existential problems.
Artists witness the problems of our world and often express their thoughts and feelings about these problems in their work. Their art can then stire people's emotions, and maybe get people to think about how to make the world more liveable. Take for example Nick Ut's photo of the little girl fleeing the napalm bombs during the Vietnam War. This shocking picture became very famous, showing the world the horror of war; the anti-Vietnam mouvement grew because of pictures like these.
Thanks to the work of artists, especially that of documentary film-makers, more and more people feel concerned about environmental problems; we can see, and understand better, the impact we are having on Nature and are starting to panic about how our activities are compromising our own survival.
Filmmakers, painters and photographers, known that people are interested in the beauty and wonder of wildlife. They use their artistic skills to help us understand the impact of climate change on animals and plants and convey the urgent message that we need to change our behaviour in order to preserve biodiversity.
Some artists, namely in the music industry, have become aware that their own activities are not eco-friendly, for example: audiences travelling to concerts have a massive carbon footprint. Alison Tickell, a British citizen, has managed to secure commitments from the four major record labels to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions caused by CD packaging by at least 10% within a year.
The Arcola in London wants to become the world's first carbon-neutral theatre. They now use LED lighting, even for the stage. The theatre has “Green Sundays” with music, film or events on an ecological themes.
Architects have started in earnest to build futuristic-looking but people-friendly eco houses that are works of art in that they are the result of unbridled imagination and real creativity, not just the end-product of research on environmental impact.
I'm convinced that human creativity will save the Earth; we are the problem-solvers of the problems we have caused! We can imagine a future with less pollution, and the means to get there: green buildings, production of healthy food that respects fauna and flora, distribution of goods without plastics and excessive transport, more social justice, less corruption and crime, safety from pandemics, etc.
Being better able to imagine a better world creates optimism. This optimism encourages people to believe in themselves and to build on their ideas. And artists can help us to free our imaginations and be more creative and so less pessimistic!
Art helps us see and understand the dangers we are facing, but also encourages us to find solutions by helping us to express and share our feelings, our fears, and our ideas, and giving us some hope that it's not too late to save the planet...
Raphaël WERNER writes:
ReplyDeleteTo me, the only way a work of art could help “save the planet” would be if the message it carries is about saving the planet, and even then, some people might not understand the art and its meaning (think of all those opaque Contemporary Art creations or “happenings”...).
Even if people do get the gist, it's a whole new ball game to get people to actually accept the “message” and act on it! Indeed, most people won’t really do anything to save their skins until they are personally and directly threatened (and even then, some people just carry on regardless; think about how some idiots behaved during the coronavirus epidemic!).
Art is too restricted to cliques (basically: arty types) to actually have an impact on a planetary scale. Surely, to avoid doomsday, only a popular uprising on a massive scale might do the trick? Art, in that context, would be of little use...
In our society, “art” is not considered something that can actually have any impact on anything; most people see art as weird, ridiculously priced “things” made by strange creative types for insufferable snobs...
You must think I am very cynical, but I personally love art; it is a real source of inspiration for me. There are so many talented artists with different visions and styles and subjects! If the world was ruled by artists, everyone would be happier, that’s what I think.
Perhaps if we taught people how to appreciate art, the world might indeed be “saved” by it (imagine millions using music or mangas or movies to fight our suicidal regimes!) but I'm afraid it's too late for that... Do you hear the sound of Nero's fiddle while Rome burns?
Gaëtan CHAMORET writes:
ReplyDeleteEnvironmental questions are very present in our everyday lives nowadays; one wonders how to act to preserve future generations. The role of Art, in this context, might appear a trivial concern... But, I believe, Art does play a role in helping save the planet.
Artists try to convey to their audience their feelings, preferences or ideas. Spectators then identify with the artist and follow his tastes, his recommendations. For example, an artist who wears recycled-fabric clothing will encourage certain people to do the same.
A photographer can take photos of the beauty of the world in order to make his public aware of it and thus lead them to want to conserve this natural beauty. He can also show the abuses of man on Nature, like the massive destruction of tropical forests, to make his audience react.
A painter can act like a photographer. But he can also produce work which shows what our planet could become if Man, and especially the actors of the economy, ignore environmental problems.
Any artist must seek to touch his audience with beauty or horror in order to raise awareness and encourage them to act for the environment and its survival.
The message may not be explicit, guilt-inducing or violent, but it may appear discreetly in a work. This subtlety allows an effective awareness of the problems linked to the environment and the safeguarding of our planet.
One positive thing that emerges from this "green" thinking is an increased dialogue between artists and scientists.
The cultural world can also lead by example. While the Arts can hardly be described as a major polluter compared to the chemical industry, there are always more big green initiatives to be done: from fashion designers inciting us to use sustainable fabrics to theaters recycling the decorations and using LED bulbs.
In the short term, the answer to whether Art will save the world is surely always negative. Environmental protection is the job of politicians around the world; they have to make decisions that go in the right direction. To get results, you cannot ask one part of the world to make efforts for the environment while another does nothing.
But, what the Arts can do is remind us that it is possible to save the world. Art can and must shock us - inspire us - to act. An artist can communicate in a different way from scientists. It is important for everyone to see that it is not too late to act, otherwise people will not see the point of making an effort. Everything must be done to preserve the environment for future generations, and Art remains a good means to do so because it moves and motivates people.
Camille GIRARD writes:
ReplyDeleteFirst, the question we need to ask ourselves is the following one: what is “art”? What first comes to your mind when we start talking about art? Probably painting, sculpture, maybe architecture. Those are the three classical branches of art, so it makes sense that it is what comes first to your mind. But the common belief would be to consider art as just those three branches. But if you think a bit more about it, what comes next to your mind? Music, film, theater, dance, maybe photography or even literature. What we see here is that art can apply to a lot of areas, as it could apply to cuisine, we even say “the culinary arts” when we talk about cuisine. And don’t chefs try to achive something sublime when they make a dish? They sure do it in a different way from painters who stimulate your sight, or musicians with your hearing. Chefs stimulate both your sight with the presentation of the dish, but mainly your taste as well as your sense of smell. And I am pretty sure we have all been in front of a dish so gorgeous that we were scared to eat it! Even sports are a kind of art; don’t we say “martial arts” after all? What about the sciences, could they be considered an art form, needing imagination and creativity and discipline? It might surprise you, but until the 17th century, art referred to any skill or mastery, so sciences and crafts were considered art too.
Let’s get back to what we know. The most general definition you will get from a dictionary about “art” is the following one: “art is the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.” So, if we try to keep that definition, the most general one, we could define art as being the result of both creativity and imagination, with the intent of making people feel. What I am trying to prove here, is that art could be anything. We always say how much art is subjective, what someone considers “art” someone else might consider rubbish. But it is never just one person, I mean we are over seven and half billion people on Earth right now, but over a hundred and seven billion people have lived on Earth, so that makes a lot of people able to say something is art or is not from their point of view! And, who has the power to interfere with that, everyone’s feelings and opinions are valid (not always good to say out loud but that is another topic...). So, everything can be art, and don’t we need everything to make the world what it is?
If art is going to save the planet, from what does the planet needs to be saved? In today’s world, the Earth has got a lot to be saved from, like climate change and everything that comes with it, or a global pandemic killing thousands of peoples. Humans in general are depicted as the most dangerous threat the Earth has to face. But aren’t we also Earth's best shot? We have seen in the past how strong and powerful humans can be when they work together.
Today, what we are facing, might be the Earth telling us that this is enough, we need to change drastically, to work with our planet and not against it. So, we can either keep killing ourselves and our home and go straight into the wall or we can unite and save ourselves and our planet. And as I have shown, art can be anything and everything, so, we will need art to save us. Art will save the planet, and us along with it. Because there is not a single solution out there to resolve everything. It is always a combination, and we will find this combination while working together making art and choosing the best out of the world’s most precious masterpieces.
Marius RIBIERE writes:
ReplyDeleteTic toc, tic toc... We are sitting on a time bomb of our own making! Life on Earth is being compromised and this is morally unpardonable because it is we who are polluting the planet and warming up the world and it is we who are therefore causing the climate crisis: ever more violent catastrophies, ice melt, biodiversity loss, death and destruction and disease... James Hansen, the former director of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, states bluntly: “We are in a state of planetary emergency!” Unless we get involved in serious climate action, we are going to end up in a bad scenario for a disaster movie: a few survivors, refugees on a no-man’s-land...
Tic toc, tic toc... How can artists, of all people, possibly help us get involved in climate action?! Well, artists influence how we feel, how we think, how we perceive the world, how we relate to each other and our environment. Artists make people aware of the causes of the climate crisis: overexploitation of natural resources, exploitation of the workers, consumerism, competition, social injustice, etc. That, you'll admit, is a huge power! Artists make us open our eyes and encourage us to be curious and to question. By sowing seeds of doubt about “the system” they encourage us to find solutions; they incite us to rebel against those that are destroying our beautiful world!
Tic toc... Artists can be eco-friendly, taking fabulous photos or painting pretty pictures of the Wild, etc., and that's nice, but I would argue that the artists that really contribute to helping save the planet are those who are inspired by people, by our solitude, powerlessness, suffering... We survive in societies based on the envy, jealousy, competition, greed, waste and loathing that cause the climate crisis! Good artists point the finger at our moral failings.
Tic toc... Have you seen the movies “Parasite”, “Knives Out” or “Us”? They condemn the abuse of power by the rich. Street artists like Banksy, sculptors like Anthony Gormley, painters like George Grosz, also make us question a society in which a tiny minority is compromising our very survival. We can’t help save the planet if there are people in need of the basics, if we’re stressed all the time, and oppressed by capitalism! Is it not the world-wide neoliberal capitalist system that is creating the competitiveness and inequality that is ruining our planet and our lives? Great artists can inspire us to act against injustice.
Tic toc... We need to acknowledge the fact that we’re powerless to do anything if we try to do things alone. Martin Luther King could not have achieved what he did without thousands of dedicated civil rights activists. Greta Thunberg would just be another teenager without the members of FridaysForFuture. We need leaders like them; thanks to them, we can imagine and believe in a safer, healthier and happier world. But, we need first to become committed to climate action, individually of course, but also collectively because we’re in this crisis together!
Tic toc... Most of the people I meet suffer from a deep lack of self-esteem most of the time, mostly because of our ineffectual education system and because Big Brother internet is making us brainless. If you don’t even believe in yourself, being feckless is inevitable. Well, maybe becoming an artist yourself can help! I am a member of a theater troupe and that has given me self-worth and the ability to express myself a bit better. If you want to find the courage to become committed to helping save the planet, play an instrument, paint a watercolour, make a movie!
Tic toc, tic toc... Why are you just sitting there waiting for the time bomb to go off?