Tag Archives: arts

“Extreme Whether” – A Play about Climate Change

Posted on by

Science and the performing arts have joined forces to expand the public discourse on climate change.   In Extreme Whether, a play written and directed by Karen Malpede, the issue is viewed through the personal lens of a bitter family fight over land stewardship.

Set during the record warm summers of 2004 and 2012, the “eco-drama” unfolds on a private wilderness estate in the northeastern U.S.  Leading one side of the battle is a famous – and frequently criticized – climate scientist. Heading up the other side is his twin sister, a spokesperson for the energy industry. While all the characters in the play are fictional, some of them are inspired by the work of real scientists.  These include,            Dr. James Hansen, who testified before Congress about the dangers of global warming back in the 1980s; Dr. Jennifer Francis, who researches connections between melting ice in the arctic and wavier jet stream patterns in the mid-latitudes; and Dr. Michael Mann, author of “The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars.”

Extreme Whether is currently playing at the Theatre for the New City in Manhattan’s East Village. It runs through October 26th.  In conjunction with the show, the theatre is also hosting a “Festival of Conscience” where various climate and environmental experts speak with audience members after the play. For the schedule of speakers, visit: http://theaterthreecollaborative.org

Earthrise: A Picture Worth a Thousand Words

Posted on by

There is a saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” As Earth Week continues with events around the world to raise environmental awareness and encourage action on climate change, the photograph, Earthrise, seems to be the epitome of that old adage.

Orbiting the moon, William Anders, an astronaut onboard NASA’s Apollo 8 mission, captured the now historic image on December 24, 1968.  Published in Life Magazine’s 100 Photographs that Changed the World edition, Galen Rowell – a prominent nature photographer of the time – famously called Earthrise, “the most influential environmental photograph ever taken.”

Although forty-six years have passed since this iconic image was captured on film, its subtle message seems more relevant than ever.

Image Credit: William Anders/NASA

“Earthrise” Image Credit: William Anders/NASA

Rising Waters: Photographs of Sandy – An Exhibition at MCNY

Posted on by

Super-storm Sandy wreaked havoc on the greater New York City area in late October 2012.  Documenting this historic and catastrophic event, the Museum of the City of New York, in collaboration with the International Center of Photography, organized the exhibition, Rising Waters: Photographs of Sandy.

Presenting more than two hundred photographs in both color and black and white, subjects range from the storm itself to the physical devastation and personal loss left in its wake. Organized into six sections – Storm, Destruction, Home, Coping, Relief, and Not Over – the exhibition includes images from both professional and amateur photographers.  Many of these contributors, according to the museum, were personally impacted by the storm.

Opened on Sandy’s first anniversary, the exhibition runs through April 6, 2014.  For more information, visit www.mcny.org.

"Once Again", an image from Rising Water: Photographs of Sandy at the MCNY. Image credit: Amy Medina.

“Once Again”, an image from “Rising Waters: Photographs of Sandy” at the MCNY.                      Image Credit: Amy Medina/MCNY.

Weather and Art: Love of Winter

Posted on by

Winter, like all seasons, has its pluses and minuses. With freezing temperatures and accumulating snow, it can produce travel problems and other difficulties. On the other hand, it also creates the opportunity for a variety of outdoor activities like skiing, sledding, ice-skating, snowshoeing, and of course, the Winter Olympics.

Love of Winter, a painting by George Bellows from 1914, captures the spirit of those who embrace the season. A personal favorite, it portrays the movement of skaters on a frozen pond.  Filled with activity and color, the scene conveys the joy of being outdoors on a crisp winter day.

"Love of Winter", 1914 by George Bellows. Collection of the Art Institute of Chicago

Love of Winter, 1914 by George Bellows. Oil on Canvas (32.5 x 40.5 inches).                                                    The Art Institute of Chicago, Friends of American Art Collection.

South Florida’s Rising Seas – A Documentary

Posted on by

Sea level rise is one of the most pressing aspects of climate change for coastal communities around the globe.  One of the most vulnerable regions in the United States is southern Florida, which is the subject of the documentary, “South Florida’s Rising Seas”

Produced by Florida International University professors, Kate MacMillin and Dr. Juliet Pinto (a longtime friend), the half-hour production explains the science of sea level rise and explores the potential threats to the region.  It also addresses the actions being taken to help keep South Florida habitable.

The documentary is scheduled to air for the first time on WPBT2 – the public television station for South Florida – at 8PM on January 15th.  It will be followed by a half-hour panel discussion moderated by Helen Ferré, host of WPBT2’s public affairs program Issues, and featuring: John Englander, author of “High Tide on Main Street”; Dr. Hal Wanless, chair of the University of Miami’s Dept. of Geological Sciences; Richard Grosso, Director of the Environmental & Land Use Law Clinic and professor of law at Nova Southeastern University; and Dr. Juliet Pinto, co-producer of the documentary.

To watch the trailer, visit http://journalism.fiu.edu/#!/Spotlight

For those outside the viewing area, the program is available online at http://video.wpbt2.org/video/2365148517/

Looking at Climate Change through the Arts

Posted on by

Art and science are joining forces to expand the public conversation on climate change. In New York City, throughout October and November, the science and impacts of our changing climate will be explored through various artistic lenses as part of Marfa Dialogues/NY.

This festival of events will include art exhibitions, installations, musical performances, and panel discussions throughout the city – all of which will be open to the public. Organizers say by bringing the creative community together with scientists and other experts, “the result is a more accessible public exploration of a complex but critical issue.”

This multi-venue event is presented by Ballroom Marfa – a cultural arts center in West Texas – and its partners The Public Concern Foundation and the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation. Growing out of the Marfa Dialogue held in Texas last autumn, these three groups expanded the idea and brought it to NYC.  As we approach the first anniversary of Super-storm Sandy, New York City will no doubt offer a poignant backdrop to these projects and events.

For a list of participants and a calendar of events, visit http://www.marfadialogues.org.

Weather and Art: Rain Room

Posted on by

Have you ever wanted to control the weather?  Rain Room, a large-scale interactive art installation at MoMA/PS1 in New York City, is offering a simulated experience.

Created by Random International, a London-based team of artists, Rain Room allows visitors to walk through an indoor downpour without getting wet.  The secret to staying dry is a combination of multiple 3-D sensors installed around the room and the motion of museum visitors themselves.  When the sensors detect the presence of a human body, they pause the precipitation in precise locations giving people the feeling that they control the rain.

The Rain Room is part of Expo1: New York, a multi-venue exhibition that explores challenging environmental issues.  According to MoMA’s website, Rain Room “invites visitors to explore the roles that science, technology, and human ingenuity can play in stabilizing our environment.”

Rain Room runs through July 28th.

rain-room-at-moma-2Image Credit: MoMA/Random International

Weather and Art: Laser Rainbow

Posted on by

A public art project brought a rainbow to the night skies of New York City last week. Yvette Mattern’s, “Global Rainbow, After the Storm”, was a tribute to those affected by Super-storm Sandy.

Composed of a spectrum of high-powered lasers, this temporary installation was situated on the rooftop of the Standard Hotel in Manhattan.  Its lights beamed out thirty-five miles over Brooklyn, toward the Rockaways in Queens – areas hard hit by Sandy.

While this project was not created specifically for New York, the rainbow was a timely visual symbol of hope as the city continues to recover from a devastating storm.

“Global Rainbow, After the Storm” by Yvette Mattern

Image Credit: Art Production Fund

Weather and Art: Hiroshi Sugimoto

Posted on by

Lightning, nature’s most powerful static electrical shock, has sparked human curiosity throughout history. Recently, it helped to inspire the creation of “Lightning Fields”, a series of unique photographs by Hiroshi Sugimoto, a contemporary Japanese artist.

To create this body of work, Sugimoto used a 400,000-volt Van de Graff generator to apply an electric shock directly to a large sheet of film.  The resulting images show the flow of electricity with its tree-like branching discharges. The pattern of each image differs based on the strength of the charge and the path taken by the electrical current.

The outlines produced in these experimental photographs are very similar to the Lichtenberg Figures that often appear on objects and people after they have been struck by lightning.

Lightning Field 128, 2009.

Image Credit: Hiroshi Sugimoto

Blue Marble 2012

Posted on by

Last month, NASA released Blue Marble 2012, a high-definition photograph of Earth taken from space.

The original Blue Marble was taken on December 7, 1972 by the astronauts of the Apollo 17 lunar mission. It was the first clear image taken of our entire planet.  The famous photograph shows much of the eastern hemisphere and a cyclone in the Indian Ocean.

The new image highlights North America.  It is a composite of numerous photos taken on January 4, 2012 by the Suomi NPP satellite.  The remarkable clarity of the photograph is a product of the satellite’s onboard Visible /Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument.

This satellite is named in honor of the late Verner Suomi, a pioneer of satellite meteorology.  It will gather data for enhanced weather forecasting and climate models.

Blue Marble 2012

Blue Marble 1972

Image Credit: NASA