Climate Change Alert through Arctic Aesthetics

In the Eighteenth Century Captain Cook era, when exploration and desired acquisition of the Pacific Northwest was mapped and drawn, it became evident that these locations had abundant flora, fauna, and minerals. Encountering the indigenous, who were often abused, was a resource for survival, scientific research, and financial gain. In the Twenty-First Century, Alaska Natives and other Arctic aboriginals are being appreciated for stewardship of their lands and acute awareness of Climate Change. Explorers as scientists and tourists venture to the North, not to claim territory, but to paint, photograph, and document the Arctic with instrumentation unimaginable to Cook.

Does educating the public to the rapidly melting Arctic through aesthetic visualization do any good? Are there ironic silver linings found within Global Warming?

Six artists working in the North reveal different backgrounds which culminate in multiple perspectives. All objectively make art to heighten awareness of Climate Change. Narratives which omit masculine adventuresome fantasy may include oceanic pollution, sea ice melt, coastal erosion, and age-old domination by outside interests.

At Christie’s Education Seminar, New York City, June 11, 2019, it was discussed that Global Warming was complicated and shouting at people to reduce their Carbon Footprints fails to get results. According to a wall label at the Arktikum Museum, Rovaniemi, Finland, “The world is becoming increasingly connected, through shared social, environmental, cultural and economic challenges, requiring different forms of transnational knowledge and solutions.” Art promotes the invisible through visual dialogue, museum or community involvement, and self-awareness of belonging to place.