Art, Education, and Activism
If you have been following my artistic journey, then you already know that I am learning all I can about deep-sea creatures, deep-sea mining and ocean conservation. This year, the United Nations launched the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.
In essence, the Decade hopes to achieve the following:
A clean ocean where sources of pollution are identified and removed
A healthy and resilient ocean where marine ecosystems are mapped and protected
A predictable ocean where society has the capacity to understand current and future ocean conditions
A safe ocean where people are protected from ocean hazards
A sustainably harvested ocean ensuring the provision of food supply
A transparent ocean with open access to data, information, and technologies
An inspiring and engaging ocean where society understands and values the ocean
There are plenty of partners and stakeholders that are needed to make the plans for the Decade possible. However, one of the most important groups will be the contribution, engagement, and action by the general public (like you and me!) and one of the ways this can be achieved is by the inclusion of the arts into the program development.
Before I dive into why we should all care and be involved with ocean conservation and education, let’s look at the role of art in all of this.
“People protect what they love, they love what they understand and they understand what they are taught” - Jacques Cousteau
What is activist art?
According to the TATE, activist art is:
a term used to describe art that is grounded in the act of ‘doing’ and addresses political or social issues
Activist artists create art that is “a form of political or social currency, actively addressing cultural power structures rather than representing them or simply describing them.” The goal of activist art is to empower individuals, communities and many artists are involved in direct action of the issue they are highlighting.
Art has an important place and advantage when it comes to marine conservation and education. Art can do things that research can’t, like show the beauty of marine life and ecosystems and highlight the importance of keeping our oceans healthy. Art can be more accessible than facts and figures and can engage the general public more easily. Art can spark inspiration and be a call of action for social change.
Ocean Siren
Artist: Jason deCaires
Location (see map): Townsville, Australia, Pacific Ocean
Depth: Above water
Installation Date: 2019
“At night, the sculpture’s changing surface colour visually represents daily average water temperature data relayed from the weather station installed at Davies Reef on the Great Barrier Reef. Changing colour as daily variations in water temperature warm and cool the reef, Ocean Siren is a visual representation of the current conditions out on the reef and can potentially warn of risks to coral reefs from warming seas.”
I personally experienced this while listening to episode #4 Art of Cath Our Drift podcast, where the hosts interview artists about how art can “inspire and challenge our perceptions of the ocean, our planet and ourselves and also be a driver for conservation and change”. Art stirs our intellect but most important of all, our emotions. Our individual choices and actions can have a great impact on protecting our oceans.
Our ocean covers almost 71% of Earth, but less than 4% remain “unaffected by human activity.” The ocean generates over half the oxygen we create, helps regulate the global temperature, its marine ecosystems are vital for research of medications, and provides a source of recreation and improves our mental health. However, our ocean is facing multiple threats: global warming, acidification, overfishing, plastic pollution, loss of biodiversity, deep-sea mining, among others.
For centuries, the ocean has been a source of inspiration to artists, writers, filmmakers, scientists, explorers, and essentially every person at some point in their lifetime. The only way for every single human being to protect the oceans is by experiencing and learning to appreciate and love it. However, there are little actions we can all take to make a big impact:
Learn about your local marine areas. The best-protected areas have strong local support.
“Take only pictures, leave only footprints".”
Tell your legislators that ocean conservation is important.
Talk to your friends and family about it and choose an activity to do together.
Support 30x30. Safeguard 30% of the ocean by 2030.
Be a part of the UN Ocean Decade and join local events.
It can sometimes feel scary to try and be part of a solution to a global issue. But if we think of ourselves as ocean lovers, it becomes a lot more accessible and real. Let’s look at some artists who are creating interesting artworks!
Courtney Mattison
Courtney Mattison creates large-scale ceramic sculptural work inspired by the “fragile beauty of coral reefs” and the man-made threats they face. She works with conservation organizations to inspire public awareness, explore and protect the ocean.
Kelly Quinn
Kelly Quinn is passionate about the intersection between science and art. She creates colorful, detailed and immersive paintings to highlight nature through art. She is a “wildlife artist, educator, and illustrator.”
Pascal Schelbli
Pascal Schelbli is an award-winning director based in Zürich. He uses computer generated images in his films. His short film, “The Beauty.” In his words:
The trigger for this film was obviously our massive plastic pollution issue, which we all have to deal with these days. But, instead of showing another mournful stomach full of plastic bags, I thought, what if plastic could be integrated into the sea life and nature solves the problem? The film should take you on a journey, where all our feelings of guilt will disappear. But in the end, we wake up and realize that we need to change something.
Ben Young
Ben Young is a self-taught artist who has been creating sculptures for over 15 years. He is influenced by the ocean and brings his passions together (surfer, artist, boat builder) together in his sculptures. This pieces juxtaposes a “minuscule representation of humanity alongside the immensity of the oceans and other bodies of water.”
Mulyana
Mulyana is an Indonesian environmental artist who creates textile installations:
Though the googly-eyed creatures of Mogus World (as Mulyana describes his imagined marine environment) are cute and cartoonish, the narrative of the exhibition is grounded in sobering reality; environmental disaster is not the stuff of fairy tales. he vivacity of Mogus World IV starkly contrasts the stretch of bleached jellyfish, whose tentacles dangle eerily towards the skeleton-like coral below. The fish are gone, the jellyfish are drifting away from the coral, leading to Si Hideung, who stands as a warrior evolution of Mogus. He is now on the defensive, in armour woven from a foreign material; plastic rope. The messages seem clear: it is plastic that is starves and destroys marine life.
Mulyana’s work hopes tp inspire people to think about and help save the planet. Every individual has the responsibility to “each other, to the planet, to life itself.”
Joining the ARTivism wave
Artivism looks to use art as a means for social change. This creative expression has been around for a while and spans several disciplines (visual art, poetry, film, theater, etc.).
While artivism is said to have started with the Chicano movement in Los Angeles in the late 1960’s, Lambert and Duncombe investigated further. “We had a hunch that art and activism were a powerful combination…, but when we tried to dig back to the beginning, there was always something that came before,” says Lambert. “When you start looking closely, every successful activist movement involves creativity, culture, and innovation,” Duncombe adds. “What we realized in the end is that *all successful activism is artistic activism*.”
Nine reasons why artistic activism is important, by Lambert and Duncombe:
Artistic Activism is a practice aimed at generating Æffect: emotionally resonant experiences that lead to measurable shifts in power.
Artistic activism thrives in the contemporary landscape.
Artistic activism has been used throughout history.
Artistic activism creates openings.
Artistic activism is accessible.
Artistic activism stimulates a culture of creativity.
Artistic activism energizes people and organizations.
Artistic activism draws from culture, to create culture, to impact culture.
Artistic activism is peaceful and persuasive.
So where do I come in? I started this journey being interested in knowing more about the deep-sea and ocean conservation. At this point I am being inspired by what I am learning and creating art about it. However, I am aware of the importance of art in helping proliferate the message of why we need to protect the ocean. I hope I can come to a point in my work where I can also joining the ranks of other artists creating artwork that positively impacts ocean conservation.
Let’s move from STEM to STEAM. It would be great to partner with an organization to create a collection of art but also an art education curriculum that includes the deep-sea creatures. As an educator, I think it would be wonderful and exciting to have the scientific community partner with museums (natural history, science and art alike) who have the infrastructure to create good outreach programs; community art centers who will have connections to the local community and inspire local action; and present at national and state art education conferences since educators attend with open minds and searching for new ways of engaging students.
If you would like to read my opinion piece on the Deep-Sea Life Issue 17, click here!
