On the occasion of COP 21 summit, world renowned contemporary artists are mobilizing and acting to highlight the impacts of climate change and desertification through their art projects.
The initiative, entitled Artists 4 Paris Climate 2015, will feature art projects displayed in public spaces in the centre of Paris, stretching all the way to the conference site in Le Bourget.
15 leading visual artists from all over the world have agreed to participate in the initiative.
They will create completely new work inspired by the issues discussed during the conference or from a previous project, especially focused on the global event of COP21.
Among them: Edward Burtynsky (Canada), Michelangelo Pistoletto (Italy), Yann Toma (France) , Gideon Mendel (South Africa) and Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson.
Olafur Eliasson's installation , Ice Watch, was destined for the Place de la République in Paris before the Paris attacks and risked cancellation. As the site is a central point for mourning , the installation will instead open in the Place du Panthéon in Paris on Thursday, 3 December 2015.
The installation is described as being “twelve immense blocks of ice, harvested from free-floating icebergs in a fjord outside Nuuk, Greenland, will be arranged in clock formation on the Place du Panthéon, where they will melt away during COP21.” Watch and read about the project here: http://icewatchparis.com
During the event, a charity auction of artworks from the art projects will be organized by Christie's, the world premier auction house, together with the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), in order to generate funds to support actions against climate change and desertification.
Organizations committed to a more sustainable world are being approached to support each art project for the event.
Artists 4 Paris Climate 2015 has two aims: mobilize and act.
Mobilization is happening everywhere during the COP21 Summit: from the Conference’s “Global Village” in Greater Paris, to art projects involving communities, social networks, and international public opinion.
Action is taking place with each artwork sold: after a sale, a matching symbolic action on the fight against climate change and desertification will be carried out on sites in Africa, Asia and Latin America selected by the UNCCD.
List of participating artists:
Mikhael Subotzky / Patrick Waterhouse
Cover photo: Olafur Eliasson, Little Sun
© Little Sun & Olafur Eliasson Studio, photo Michael Tsegaye
