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Bridging Art and Journalism: A New Approach to Climate Reporting
Identifying this strong connection, 91麻豆国产精品自拍 dedicated World Press Freedom Day 2024 to focus on the importance of journalism and freedom of expression in the context of the current global environmental crisis.
Journalists face significant challenges in reporting on climate change, often becoming targets of those who profit from environmental exploitation. Disinformation campaigns can hinder efforts to address these crises, reducing public and political support for climate action and policies.
Conveying the urgency and impact of climate change requires compelling narratives and engaging storytelling that resonate with audiences. Media professionals are constantly seeking ways to better communicate the complexities of climate change.
On May 3-4, UNESCO organized an innovative exhibition titled: 鈥Media & Art Capture Climate Change Exhibition鈥, as a side event during its 31st World Press Freedom Day Global Conference in Santiago Chile, introducing visual and artistic storytelling based on the findings of media investigations depicting significant regional and global environmental challenges through the universal language of art, to educate and inspire.
The exhibition, supported by the Multi Donor Programme on Freedom of Expression and Safety of Journalists (MDP) in partnership with the , displayed five art installations, aimed at demonstrating how, together, media and art can bridge the gap between scientific data and public understanding, and thus motivate action for change.
Investigative journalists from Africa, Asia, the Arab region, and Latin America were partnered with artists from Chile to convey the findings of their reports and narrate the climate change story in an innovative way.
This cross-border collaboration involved deep discussions to reach an agreement on how the resulting art installation would translate the journalism work. In her , published on Mongabay conservation and environmental science , reflects the artists鈥 perspectives and their reflections on this new venture. Theater design students from the University of Chile said it was the first time they worked together with a journalist and based their work on an investigation, and that they鈥檙e looking forward to doing it again. While in his feature titled describes his experience as 鈥渢ruly amazing鈥, emphasizing how the creative 鈥渧isualization of their stories marked a refreshing departure from conventional journalistic storytelling methods鈥.
Recognizing the crucial role of the media in shaping public discourse on climate change, UNESCO selected five investigative reports representing major environmental issues in different regions:
鈥See what you don鈥檛 see鈥
This installation was based on an by and executed by artists from the led by Francisco Mart铆nez.
It aimed at raising awareness of nano and microplastics in food. The artists have crafted food replicas using reused plastics or containers. 鈥淭he overall experience of the art exhibition, from its inception to the final installation at the Global Conference of World Press Freedom Day in Chile, was truly amazing. Seeing our stories visualized in such a creative manner was a refreshing departure from our usual journalistic styles of telling stories鈥, said Mugira.
The stark reality of food contamination by microplastics prompts the question: "Will you eat this if you were able to see it?". The creators invite teachers, families, and artists worldwide to convey this message through a playful activity of crafting food replicas using reused plastic, and sharing their creations with the hashtag #seewhatyoudontsee.
鈥淓ye of the desert鈥
This art installation was based on the findings of an investigative media by and executed by the artistic Duo 鈥楧elirio Colectivo鈥 from the
It highlighted a local climate crisis, a sacrifice zone (gigantic garbage dump of discarded clothing in the Atacama Desert); which represents, through a textile cloak, a 'dune of clothing in the desert', in which the artistic duo 鈥楧elirio Colectivo鈥 represent the relationship of these two geographical places across the world from each other, connected by one fate as an environmental sacrifice zone inflicted by the hand of the humankind. In other installation forms, the artistic collective includes 'the voice of the planet' as an omniscient character, of a nightmarish landscape, who will claim birds and their lives in the name of threatened species.
鈥淭he moment I saw the art installation, I almost cried because of the beauty, simplicity, and symbolism of this work. I felt satisfied with the result of this collaborative work with the artists, which succeeded in conveying the suffering of birds and the completely inhumane associated hunting practices鈥, said Abo Shahba. "This artwork brilliantly expresses the problem and the findings of the investigation, as well as the importance and the value of preserving biodiversity鈥, she added.
鈥淲ater, life and death鈥
This installation was based on the findings of an investigative by and executed by muralist Jocelyn Jara from the
The art piece, which consisted of a large-scale mural triptych, focused on the figure of women, nature and its animals. It presented 3 connected scenarios about the causes and effects of this climate problem, and who is affected by it.
When asked how she would describe the overall experience of the art exhibition? Azziz expressed that 鈥The entire journey was remarkable, from inception to realization, as an innovative art expression of a climate story, resonating deeply with audiences and fostering meaningful communication.鈥
"Environmental crimes in the supermarket"
This installation was based on the findings of a media investigation by and executed by the students of Dise帽o Teatral at the led by Cristian Canto.
It represents a desolate landscape in which plastic elements, found in supermarkets, are congregated to represent the vulnerability driven by the unbridled consumption of palm oil to the environment. In this work the students show a flow of plastic objects that flow into the river. The surface layer of consumerism is revealed through vibrant colors that accuse the product and the plastic. This seeks to show the repercussions of this lifestyle, especially through products derived from palm oil, whose overproduction and exploitation is overshadowed by the spheres of power.
This visual narrative suggests a direct connection between consumerist greed and environmental degradation. The heart of the installation presents the Amazon as a supermarket that is transformed into a garbage dump, illustrating the usurpation of territory and the continuous conquest to the detriment of minorities made invisible by progress. It directly shows a conflict between an entity that promotes the consumption of palm oil (involving producers, distributors, consumers and other world powers) and the consequences suffered by the native indigenous peoples in the ecosystem they inhabit. The installation invites viewers to reflect on the collective responsibility and ethical implications of our consumption choices.
Juan Jos茅 Alexander Contreras Mu帽oz, one of the 12 students behind the artwork on Karla Mendes stated that 鈥 It is such an important instance as UNESCO and to be able to expose, from our point of view as artists, the concept of environmental damage, to use art as a medium, as a tool to transmit, to be able to accuse a reality or a situation of vulnerability.鈥
鈥淚t was simply perfect and represented the key message from my investigation鈥, said Mendez, describing the art creation. 鈥淯sing the supermarket cart was the perfect link to our daily lives鈥, she added. Mendez was delighted with the positive feedback received, and expressed how honored she was to see the artwork later exhibited at the Santiago.
鈥淔our Transhumantic Quipus鈥
By sculptor Jaime Perales Castro from the
This installation was executed by sculptor Jaime Perales Castro from the Future School, conveying a machine for transhumance. It consisted of a tensile structure made from eight wooden poles assembled and held by hemp ropes and rods which support a weave of colored threads that tension a white canvas cloth painted with clay and sand. Furthermore, between the pillars of the structure, four quipus with an encrypted message were displayed. It used wool threads; a symbol of the cultural adaptation of the Andean peoples. The installation aimed to convey how the inhabitants of some territories are in danger due to flooding from climate change and how this is accelerated by human beings.
It is worth noting that the exhibition was inspired by the exhibition at the ARIJ 16th Annual forum in Amman, Jordan in December 2023, which was based on the research collaboration between the at the , and 鈥撯堿rab Reporters for Investigative Journalism, Amman. 鈥Interdisciplinary cooperation between artists, designers, and investigative journalists can help us develop visual concepts for new approaches to storytelling about climate change and environmental justice in the attempt to counter resignation and climate change denial and help spark more inclusive conversations with the audience鈥, said , climate journalism development expert who coordinated the exhibition in Jordan.
