“The Arctic is the Advanced Sentinel of Climate Change” -- Messages from Artists

There are over 120 art exhibits in Paris during COP21, and they all have a theme or idea that the artists are portraying related to climate change.  In the installation by the artist Olafur Eliasson (with geologist Minik Rosing), there are 12 melting iceburgs (originally weighing 80 tons) from Greenland placed in a circle like a clock face to remind us that time is running out. This is a particularly popular site, and inspired a lot of discussion.  Sadly, the overheard dialogue between a father and daughter (American) was not so positive, as the father explained that it was already “too late.”  But other conversations seemed animated and hopeful, as the COP has had a lot of attention here in Paris.

Photo by Matt Bosch

Photo: Hilde Binford and Matt Bosch (photo credit -- Fabian, our guide)

Other art exhibits are a bit more traditional, like the 80 photographs in “The Honey Roads” which are on public view at the Luxembourg Gardens, documenting the plight of bees.  Others are performance art, like the theatrical presentation from ClimActs of Australia where “Climate Guardians,” dressed as angels, protest against Australia’s inaction.  

For a listing and description of all of the art exhibits, go to http://www.artcop21.com/fr/events/.

And if you’re interested in buying works by the artists (with the proceeds going to the NGOs involved in climate change), check out the Christie's auction at http://www.christies.com/exhibitions/2015/artists-4-paris-climate

Addendum:
The art installation "Unbearable" is quite moving -- a polar bear is impaled on a "oil pipeline in the shape of a CO2 graph!  Check out the concept.  And the new play, "Extreme Whether" was extraordinary as well.