Come meet artists whose work was selected as a part of the US Global Change Research Project's Art x Climate Initiative
SAN FRANCISCO (December 13, 2023) — The Exploratorium is pleased to announce a groundbreaking event during this week's After Dark program, which will take place on Thursday, December 14th from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM in the Observatory. This unique occasion brings together artists whose works were selected as part of the US Global Change Research Project's Art x Climate initiative, marking the first-ever national call for artwork to be featured in a National Climate Assessment.
The National Climate Assessment is a federally-mandated quadrennial publication that consolidates the expertise of leading climate scientists across the United States, serving as a fundamental resource for shaping national climate policy. The Exploratorium's event is an unparalleled opportunity to unite many of the artists featured in the assessment with scientists for an evening of conversation and celebration.
Event Highlights Include:
Opening Poetry Reading:
Join us for a captivating poetry reading featuring contributors and editors of "Dear Human at the Edge of Time," a poetry anthology released in conjunction with the Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5). Notably, Jeremy Hoffman, a lead scientist/author on the assessment, is a poet and editor himself. He will be joined by celebrated poet and essayist Jane Hirshfield, a Bay Area resident.
Panel Discussion on Sea Level Rise:
Miami-based artist Xavier Cortada, known for his work at the intersection of artistic practice and civic engagement through works including "Underwater HOA," will participate in a panel discussion on sea level rise. Joining him will be Linda Gass, a Bay Area artist connecting communities to sea level rise impacts in the South Bay.
Panel Discussion with Coral Avery:
On view will be a beadwork piece entitled “The Seven Rs” which relates to seven principles of Indigenous practice, and is associated with a research paper discussing these principles in depth. The piece will be presented by.Coral Avery, a lead author on the paper, and will be joined by Kelsey Morales, Assistant Manager for the Tribes and Climate Change program at NAU, and the discussion will be moderated by the Exploratorium’s own Isabel Hawkins. The beadwork will also be on display throughout the evening.
Panel Discussion with Bay Area Artists:
Engage in a panel discussion with three Bay Area artists: Lorraine Woodruff-Long, Adrien Segal, and Jenny Helbraun-Abramson, all recognized for their works focusing on fire and air quality in Northern California. Lorraine and Jenny's pieces, a quilt depicting air quality readings during the height of the 2020 wildfire season and photographs of trees 18 months after the fires, will be on display.
The Exploratorium has collaborated closely with Allyza Lustig, Senior Staff Manager for The National Climate Assessment, and Allison Crimmins, Director for NCA5, who is detailed to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Air and Radiation.
For further information and media inquiries, please contact media@exploratorium.edu
