Extinction Exhibition Calls for Climate Action Through Art
Thursday 26 September, 2024Explorers Against Extinction, a Norfolk-based conservation charity, in partnership with the Fine Art Society, is debuting its ‘Extinction’ exhibition in Scotland this autumn. Featuring an evocative blend of photography and sculpture
by some of the most distinguished artists in the world, this compelling exhibition underscores the devastating consequences of climate change, including species extinction and habitat loss over time.
Sixteen renowned artists committed to raising awareness about environmental issues have come together for this special touring exhibition, including Richard Deacon, Emily Young, David Nash, Peter Randall-Page, Jon Foreman, Eleanor Lakelin, Julian Stair, Conrad Shawcross, Sebastião Salgado, Richard Mosse, Beverly Joubert, Michael Kenna, Daniel Beltra, Andy Goldsworthy, Michael Pinsky, and Bigert & Bergström.
Following a successful preview at the Palace of Westminster in April 2024 and a captivating month at Nature in Art in Gloucestershire in June, 'Extinction' is making its Scottish debut at The Fine Art Society on Dundas Street, Edinburgh, until October 19th. This prestigious gallery is hosting the exhibition for a month-long display, offering a rare opportunity to view these masterpieces together in one space.
Ten of the artists have featured fossils, artefacts or other material from Happisburgh, the home of Explorers Against Extinction in Norfolk. Happisburgh is likely to be one of the first UK communities lost to coastal erosion. With ocean rise, the sand cliffs are being eaten away by the North Sea, revealing clues about the ancient landscape, including fossilized hominid footprints that date to the end of the Early Pleistocene, around 950-850,000 years ago, making Happisburgh the oldest known site of human occupation in the UK.
The teeth of Steppe and Southern mammoths can be found on the beach at Happisburgh - these species were made extinct by historic climate change as the land flooded. Turner Prize-winning sculptor Richard Deacon's
creation, Long in the Tooth, incorporates some of these mammoth fossils and reflects on the long-term impacts of climate change. Deacon explains, “The four teeth describe a considerable stretch of time. They stand in for something that is now missing. Their disappearance was, in part, the consequence of climate change and of rising and falling sea levels, the evidence for which is powerfully present on the Norfolk Coast. I put the four teeth onto four cut and polished seven-sided granite blocks. The pairing was perfect - celebratory yet with all the stately grace of granite memorials.”
Lauded artist Emily Young also incorporates a Happisburgh fossil into her piece The Connection - A Meeting of Minds. A signature Quarzite head is studded by a flint hand axe at least 600,000 years old. Royal Academy artist Conrad Shawcross
also utilises an ancient flint tool in his piece, to represent a species of early human made extinct by historic climate change. Ancient pine cones preserved in the sediments and revealed by storms have been used to create an evocative piece by fellow Royal Academy sculptor David Nash OBE. Faraway Trees is a smaller and more delicate work than Nash is known for and includes three of the 800,000-year-old pine cones – the oldest materials the artist has ever worked with in his long and illustrious career.
Other beautiful organic works feature wood, stone, clay, and additional artefacts from Happisburgh, reinforcing the exhibition’s central themes of time, change, and loss.
Sara White, Trustee of Explorers Against Extinction, emphasizes the exhibition’s significance: “‘Extinction’ provides a tangible journey through time, showing how climate change leads to extinction. Unlike the past, today's extinction crisis is driven largely by human activity, and we have the power to change that.”
Additionally, the exhibition showcases photography addressing present-day issues and featuring changing landscapes and vanishing species. The collection includes remarkable work by internationally renowned conservation photographer Sebastião Salgado and a significant piece by Richard Mosse, an Irish artist currently based in New York, known for documenting some of the most significant humanitarian and environmental crises of our time. His piece, Log Barges, Santarém, part of his 2021 series Tristes Tropiques, uses vibrantly hued topographic images to highlight the environmental devastation in the Amazon. Dramatic black-and-white photography by Michael Kenna and Beverly Joubert, elegiac in tone, contrasts with an impactful aerial image by Daniel Beltra of Iceland’s Hvita River, heavy with sediments from melting glaciers.
"We are thrilled to bring 'Extinction' to a wider audience," said White. "Through the power of art, we hope to inspire people to take action against climate change and support the vital work of conservation."
After Edinburgh, 'Extinction' will travel to gallery@oxo at Oxo Tower Wharf in London for three weeks. There, it will be part of the larger 'On the Edge' exhibition, curated by Explorers Against Extinction. This broader event includes three distinct collections: Extinction, On the Brink, and Sketch for Survival. It unites artists from around the globe – both professional and amateur, as well as junior artists – to raise awareness about the critical issue of species extinction. All works are for sale to raise funds for the charity.
For more information about the exhibition and upcoming venues, please visit Explorers Against Extinction's website or contact Sara White at sara@explorersagainstextinction.org.uk.
About Explorers Against Extinction:
Explorers Against Extinction is a Norfolk-based conservation charity dedicated to raising awareness about species extinction and habitat loss. Through innovative art exhibitions and projects, the charity aims to inspire global action to protect endangered wildlife and preserve our planet's biodiversity. It has funded projects in 30 different countries.
About The Fine Art Society:
The Fine Art Society, established in 1876, is one of the oldest and most prestigious art dealerships in the UK. Located on Dundas Street in Edinburgh, the gallery is renowned for its commitment to promoting fine art through exceptional exhibitions and events. The Fine Art Society showcases a diverse range of artworks, from contemporary pieces to historical masterpieces, providing a platform for artists to engage with a broad audience. The gallery's dedication to the arts and cultural heritage makes it an ideal venue for the 'Extinction' exhibition, highlighting critical environmental issues through the lens of art.
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