DEAR 2050: Humans Respond to Climate Change Exhibit: 24 October – 6 November 2020, St. Anna-Chapel Zurich

The science and art exhibition “DEAR2050:

Humans Respond to Climate Change” takes place from October 24th to November 6th 2020 in the St.Anna-Chapel in Zurich. DEAR2050 offers the public an alternative lens through which to reflect on the climate crisis by merging climate research and unique works of art in an immersive installation. Science and art together can then function as a catalyst to fuel our creativity and inspire responses to climate change.

Climate change poses an unprecedented challenge for humanity, but often we face this global crisis with
overwhelm. Western society’s contact points to the climate crisis are often blunt and shallow: Sensational headlines cherry picked from research, antagonistic denials on social media, superficial – and often cynical – pledges by corporations, attention demanding demonstrations, or overwhelming news of natural disasters in far off locations. While some highlight the urgency of the crisis, they also lead to feelings of paralysis.

DEAR2050: Humans Respond to Climate Change
DEAR2050 offers the public an alternative lens through which to reflect on the climate crisis by merging in-depth climate research and unique works of art in an immersive installation. The exhibition allows contributors and visitors alike to explore humanity’s response to climate change in strategic, practical, cultural, and emotional aspects.

The exhibition is enhanced through daily key note speeches and plenary sessions and the on-going addition of “science bites”, created through an open “slam” framework, which offer personalized, shortform, multi-media climate science presentations. The exhibition is dedicated to the memory of Prof. Konrad Steffen, renowned glaciologist, professor of climate and cryosphere and the scientific head of DEAR 2050, who lost his life on the Greenland ice sheet earlier this year. DEAR 2050 is a production of the Swiss-based NGO Climanosco.

Merging science and art DEAR2050 allows for a spacious, reflective encounter with the climate crisis. The installation is the result of an open call for scientists and artists to create original content on the topic “Humans respond to climate change”, offering an atmospheric experience for visitors. The science presented explores instances of humanity’s attempts to address and manage climate change. The works of art from across the globe provide a counterbalance, offering immersive, evocative pieces that create the possibility for emotional responses and personal reflection. Science and art together can function as a catalyst to channel the emotions raised by the looming climate crisis, fuel our creativity and inform our responses.

Stories, narratives and metaphors are the seeds that ultimately grow into societal norms, conceptions of
reality and social models. With our exhibition “Dear2050: Humans Respond to Climate Change” we aim to plant these seeds.

More than an installation DEAR2050 spotlights recent climate science developments, artistic initiatives, and the work of activists from all over the world by hosting a series of plenary discussions. Featuring scientists, artists and youth activists, the discussions create space for challenging questions and inspiring answers at the intersection of art and science.

Speakers include Thomas Stocker, co-author of the IPCC report, Jason Box, glaciologist from Denmark,
Friederike Otto, climate scientist and philosopher, artist and climate advocate Diane Burko, and many more.

An open space for “Slams” consisting of multi-format “bites” of climate knowledge created by participants for the exhibition lets visitors dive into the perspectives of engaged citizens. Slam contributions are reviewed by scientists for accuracy and added to the exhibition on a daily basis, A selection of slam authors will perform on the closing night of the exhibition. The entire exhibition visionary example of sustainable curatorial practice, reducing its carbon footprint to a minimum and demonstrating how art and culture can pioneer the path to a more.

While the exhibition is located in Zurich, Switzerland, all content will be freely available on our website for guests around the world to experience and explore.

Prof. Konrad Steffen
Prof. Konrad Steffen dedicated his life and work to deepening humanity’s understanding of climate. The alignment between Prof. Steffen’s work and Climanosco’s commitment to making climate science accessible to everyone led him to become the scientific head of DEAR2050. In the light of his untimely death during a research expedition on the Greenland ice sheet earlier this year, we renew our dedication to bring climate science and understanding to a broader audience and are convinced, now more than ever, that we need to unite and take bold action in our responses to climate change. DEAR 2050 is dedicated entirely to Konrad Steffen.

About Climanosco
Climanosco is founded with the vision that climate science should be accessible to everyone. We are an independent non-profit association, an online library, and, most importantly, a growing community of engaged citizens and scientists from around the world. Our mission is to provide free access to high quality, accessible climate science and to support citizens and scientists to work together in developing and communicating climate research.

Opening times: Mon – Sat 10am – 10pm, Sun 1pm – 8pm
Free admission

Speakers:
Diane Burko, Painter
Chantal Bilodeau, The Arctic Cycle
Marcel Bernet, Sculptor
Fernando Aranda, Painter
Paribesh Pradhan, The Great Himalaya Trail
Friederike Rass, Project Lead St. Anna Forum
Jason Box, Geological Survey Denmark
Irmi Seidl, ETHZ and WSL
Kathleen A. Mar, IASS Potsdam
Thomas Stocker, Uni Bern
Tero Mustonen, Snowchange Cooperative
Kevin Ossah, OJEDD International
Oladosu Adenike, I Lead Climate
Friederike Otto, Climate Research Programme
Charlotte Grossiord, WSL
Matthew Skjonsberg, ETHZ
Jakob Winkler, Illustrator
Sige Nagels, Artist

 

• art exhibition
• artistic initiative
• Climanosco
• Climate Change
• climate crisis
• DEAR2050
• science
• Sige Nagels
• sustainable future
• Swiss NGO