Artists share their take on perils of climate change
The artists at Depot Square Gallery in Lexington have been doing a lot of green brainstorming lately.
A smog-filled sky, a drought-ridden landscape, and a neon sun have emerged as popular subjects in an exhibition entitled "HOT: Artists Respond to Global Warming," where the impact of climate change serves as the inspiration for local artists' work.
"We wanted visual artists to participate in the conversation about climate change and global warming," said Jennifer Johnston, the show's curator and member artist. "The public hears a lot from scientists, politicians, and journalists on the issue, but artists have their own unique interpretation of what climate change means to them."
The objective of the show was to go beyond the informational and factual aspects and allow the artists to become true evaluators of the world around them, she said. The results include numerous media -- pottery, sculpture, oil paintings, watercolor paintings, fabric, and multimedia. The exhibit is laid out clearly, taking visitors from the immediately accessible depictions of global warming to more abstract reflections of nature and the world.
"It's important people see the variety of different mediums and interpretations. Art stimulates people's imagination, people's dreams, people's inspiration in a way pure information never could," said Johnston, who lives in West Concord.
It begins with Johnston's close-up photograph of a young girl's hand holding a melting chocolate chip ice cream cone. What appears to be a familiar summer scene is an image of both personal and political meaning to Johnston, the mother of two.
"I chose to use my daughter as the subject because she represents the next generation to inherit the earth. As a mother as well as an artist, I am extremely concerned about what we're leaving our future generations," said Johnston. "The melting ice cream cone represents the continuing imbalance in nature."
The exhibition moves to the woods, with paintings by Michael Noyes that display the beauty of land, illustrating what could be lost if the rivers dry up because of global warming. In order to paint the trees, Noyes set up his brushes and easel right in the thick of it, in places like the Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain. He participated in the show because he believes "art is essential to changing the world's consciousness."
"So much power we have comes from our natural land and the earth, and appreciating that land makes us powerful," said Noyes, who grew up in New England and now lives in New York City.
Issues such as pollution and consumerism are addressed in pieces like "We Love Our Cars" by Dilla Gooch Tingley, a gallery member. Using fabric, Tingley created a pristine landscape overflowing with traffic and monkeys driving automobiles.
"I was feeling very badly about the damage we've done to the earth. I'm very concerned about the choices we make as humans. I hope this show is educational and informative," said Tingley, who lives in Lincoln.
All the works were created specifically for the show. The display features art from the 22 members of the gallery and 12 other artists. The Depot Square Gallery is member run and "puts the power back in the artist s' hands," said Johnston. The opening reception scheduled for tonight will include wine and cheese.
Johnston says her knowledge of global warming hardly extends beyond that of the average citizen. It was after watching Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" that she saw an opportunity to connect art with the environment.
"'An Inconvenient Truth' is a great example of how art, in this case film, can galvanize energy to wake people up," Johnston said. "It woke me up. Art has a domino effect. One message can inform one person and inspire another until we eventually gain momentum." 