Art That Highlights Climate Change

Human-induced climate change and global warming remain persistent global challenges. As our planet’s sea levels rise and temperatures increase, various artists use their artistic practice to explore and critique the socio-political issues caused by humanity's negative impact on the physical environment.

Across the globe, bold and visionary artists are channeling their creativity to confront these issues through their work. Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson creates immersive ice installations; Argentinian Tomás Saraceno's floating sculptures encourages audiences to think about our relationship with the atmosphere, and American Stacy Levy's land art addresses the pressing environmental problems.

In Asia, Chinese artist Cai Guo Qiang presented a fishing boat carrying 99 fabricated animals, referencing a 2013 incident where 16,000 dead pigs were found dead on a river due to high levels of smog. Meanwhile, Malaysian artist, Nor Tijan Firdaus, transforms electronic waste into two-dimensional sculptures.

In this article, we explore the emerging artists on The Artling who create compelling works that shed light on the impacts of climate change, and use their craft as a powerful tool for activism. Discover the ways in which their art addresses urgent environmental issues and drives meaningful change.

Gonzalo Contreras del Solar

Chilean-based photographer Contreras del Solar dedicates his works to the subject of water, building an extensive portfolio that captures its images and more, in over 40 countries. Using a medium format film camera and digital camera, he records the beauty of water in all its forms, denouncing humanity’s inadequate interest in it and its conservation.

In 2002 he visited a glacier, which at that time was divided into two tongues. He visits again almost twenty years later, only to discover that the whole part where he once walked has vanished (based on GPS data) - two kilometers of ice that has entirely melted away. Contreras del Solar’s photograph LrD119-1552 - Glaciar Grey - Magallanes - Chile, is the image of this shrinking glacier.

Tapas Das

Das is a contemporary artist from Kolkata who uses simple forms in his paintings. As a passionate nature lover, his paintings use birds and mammals as their focal points, with techniques inspired by Indian painting styles.

In Returning Life, the artist places the animal on top of a mountain of human-made plastics - what we consider everyday items that eventually find their way to our oceans. The mammal is a symbol of life on land, misplaced on a pile of waste. This is an indication that we must be conscious of how our use of these plastics gravely affects us and the world we live in.

Palirina

Irina Safronova, aka Palirina, lives and works in Minsk, Belarus. One of her interests lies in problems related to ecology, and she is cautious of overproduction and the destruction of the natural world. She actively tries to minimize waste in her creative process and transforms all possible residues into parts of new works.

Palirina’s Melting Ice is part of an environmental art project, “Save the Planet”. The abstract diptych addresses rising sea levels, climate change and changes in habitat conditions. It is created by fluid movements of acrylic paint and gold metallic enamel.

Dominic Virtosu

Virtosu was born in Romania in 1983, completing his formal art education in painting in 2006, after which he completed his Master's at the Bucharest National University of the Arts in 2013. His works created between 2009 and 2013, questions the environment and society's consumerist tendencies, using an array of flamboyant characters and surreal situations.

Water's Edge depicts a sunbathing woman surrounded by natural elements. The style is energetic and vibrant, as the artist intends to convey happiness and beauty. Despite the painting's apparent joy, it has a deeper metaphorical layer.

The contrast of the figure in the natural surrounding represents more than just an idyllic moment - it symbolizes a broader, more profound commentary on environmental and societal issues, questioning how humanity interacts with nature, particularly in the context of the global climate. The lushness of the environment calls for reflection on the need to protect those ecosystems.

Nabiha & Thom

Nabiha and Thom are an award-winning artist couple based in Germany. In collaboration since 1997, they have exhibited their works in the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Austria, Syria, Russia, Latvia, Spain, Cambodia, Greece, China, USA and India.

The artists’ call to action is evident in the artwork’s title, Save the Amazon. It probes the viewer to imagine the rainforests untouched, where the only ones who inhabit the land are the indigenous peoples who have taken care of it for centuries. The couple condemn illegal clearing of these forests, as "eating up the rainforests" should be prohibited and outlawed.

Su Yu

Su was born in China and based in China and France. He was taught by prestigious art teachers such as Shi Liang and Chen Dan Qing at the Oil Painting Institute in Beijing. His teacher, Shi Liang, praises his independent thinking and judgement, and applauds his sharp and tenacious mind for art.

The viewer can interpret Iceberg Melting as a painting that relates to climate change, featuring animals on the endangered list. The animals are plunging into fire, lifeless, or floating aimlessly on ice while a lady is leisurely relaxing - mirroring humanity's negligent attitudes towards the effects of climate change on our wildlife.

Art that focuses on climate change aims to raise awareness of the crisis, hopefully the works that they create will encourage their viewers to reflect not just what humanity has done, but also what we can do as individuals to protect the earth that we live in. German playwright, Bertolt Brecht once said:

The quote suggests that art is not merely a reflection of the world, like a mirror, but a powerful tool, like a hammer, capable of shaping and influencing it. Artists who use their art as activism recognise their duty in society by advocating for change and challenging conventions. Their creations have the potential to be instruments of transformation, carrying meanings that go beyond a reflection in the mirror, and driving the possibility of real-world impact.

To search for more artworks that feature climate change and global warming, check out The Artling's online gallery.

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