In his book Against the Anthropocene, T. J. Demos critically surveys the visual culture of popular science websites, remote sensing and SatNav imagery, Eco-activist mobilisations, and experimental artistic projects that represent climate change. With reference to Demos’ critique, examples of visual media that represent climate change and ideas of the Anthropocene in terms of the ideological definition of our relationship with nature.
Earth’s most recent geological epoch is acknowledged as the Anthropocene. The word originates from the Greek terms for human (‘anthopo’) and new (‘cene’) ( Katie David 26/11/19). The anthropocene, is caused by a significant impact of humans on earth’s geology and ecosystems, which is now causing serious global warming changes to the environment and atmosphere. The attention within the media about climate change has increased, such as climate activist organisations, remote sensing and SatNav imagery, popular science websites and experimental artistic projects that represent climate change. Therefore, some may say the media represents this as an issue and is being discussed and addressed. However, others may disagree and say there isn’t enough communication within the media and that these impacts are for the most part unintentional. ( Rowan Howard – Williams abstract) American cultural critic T. J. Demos also critically surveys the visual culture examples and establishes them in his book as ‘a disastrous method of approaching climate change,’ ( T. J. Demos 2017 pg 7). As well as a reason he critiqued popular visual media sites that represent climate change. Within this essay I will be further discussing examples of contemporary visual media and their take on climate change as well as ideas of the Anthropocene in terms of the ideological definition, whilst referencing the critiques of Demos.
The Climate Coalition is an example of visual media. It is the UK’s largest climate activist organisation. The climate coalition was first founded in 2007 and it started off bringing together organisations from across the UK to create a unified voice on climate change. Their first matter of business was calling for a climate law which annual emission cuts. By 2008 their act was successful, and the government committed to cutting emissions by at least 80% by 2050. Their perspective on climate change is that the global average temperature has already risen 1 degree since pre-industrial levels and climate risks such as global warming (due to major exposure to air pollution and the use of fossil fuels)are increasingly apparent. Therefore, in order to prevent climate change in the UK, they have created progress reports. This implicates that the Climate Coalition is mainly focusing on preparing and tackling England for climate change. By them managing to reduce climate change and by calling successful climate laws, it implicates that their relationship with nature is becoming positive. Due to their willingness, actions as well as having a determination of changing the way of the epoch and making the world a better place. Plus, someone who would disagree with this viewpoint would be Ursula Biemann. Biemann is an artist, video essayist and researcher based in Zurich. Who ‘invested her work in exploring the uneven resource distribution, climate change, and ecologies of oil and water as principles of planetary organisations of power’. (Ursula Biemann & Paulo Tavares Forest Law, 2017) She created a video installation and documents of forest law, reflecting on the cosmopolitics of Amazonia, and the consideration of natures rights. Biemann focused on the dressing the expansion of large scale extraction and activity in western Amazonia, as there was a significant increase in multinational corporations between states over the control these natural resources. This meant that it lead to conflicts being raised such as invoking global climate destabilisation, loss of biodiversity and toxic pollution over the forest. Which has a massive affect on climate change and the Anthropocene? Due to this Ursula Biemann and her team wanted their ‘ Forest Law’ to reflect the conflict but also influence people to believe in change. That as humans we have the determination of changing the way of the epoch. However, it can also be acknowledged that examples of the climate coalitions are being ignored by military state and corporate states, and that the relationship between humans and nature is less symbiotic. Plus, is rather beneficial towards humans. This is because, as humans we gain resources whilst nature continues to be eradicated due to climate change and human activity. Just like Smiths interpretation on ‘ that nature has always been a product of human kind’. (Smith N 1984.) An example to support this viewpoint, would be the Potash mine in 2017 and the Saw mils in Nigeria in 2016. The potash Mine was ‘renamed Bethune Potash mine in May 2017. The project features two of the top ten deepest mines in the world’ ( Article Mining technology pg 1). The mine is expected to consist of 160Mt of Potash which has a grade of 29% potassium chloride and 18% of potassium oxide and an overall of 981Mt of Potassium chloride. As a result of Potash Mines and the significant amount of potassium resources, there is a massive issue with pollution and the potential impact of forced labour and the salinisation on human heath. Mining and industrial interests have been legitimising toxic discharges into rivers for a while and they are an immediate source of danger and harm. This implicates that the anthropopocene involves the extraction and use of resources such as minerals, simultaneously glossing over the ethical and moral connections.I have interpreted T. J. Demos perspective on these viewpoints and that no matter how the Anthropocene is presented or the formation of climate coalitions. The universalisation caused by this, enables the ‘military-state-corporate apparatus to disavow responsibility for the differentiated impacts of climate change’ ( T. J. Demos, 2017, P.19). This implicates, that no matter what climate coalition you join or how you present your prevention of climate change towards the media. Corporate and military states will deny any responsibility or support it and make us complicit towards climate change as we are constantly using resources and taking from nature. Therefore, the anthropocene is seen as the ideological definition, which is that the earth’s geology and ecosystems are causing climate change due to the impact of humans. Wether or not it is mankind are trying to stop this there is still the factor of corporate and military states enabling this. Which is corrupting humans and their relationship with nature and as a result humanity and their impact they will have to suffer?
Another point to be discussed is that, it appears that there are different perspectives on the view of what the relationship is between humans and nature. For example, there is the opinion that nature is the product of humanity. However, there is also the opinion that humans have no possession over earth whatsoever. Most importantly, whatever the viewpoint humans support, there is still the underlying issue of climate change. Thomas Gainsborough was an English portrait and landscape painter, draughtsman and printmaker, and is to be considered one of the most important British artists of the second half of the eighteenth century. It is lead to believe, that his 1750 famous piece called ‘Mr and Mrs Andrews’ establishes the viewpoint that the relationship between man and nature is that Mr and Mrs Andrews have power over the land or nature. My interpretation of the image of the Andrews is that they are very wealthy. This is due to the clothing they are wearing and how they are positioned within the image. Their position in the image implicates that the couple have power over the land, it has been altered to their needs, nature is a possession and is being controlled. This example of art does not necessary represent climate change, but is represents the situation prior urbanisation and industrialisation. It also establishes human attitude to our natural world and how easily nature is manipulated or manifested in order to have more use to humans. Therefore, it is no surprise that due to the blindness of humanity towards nature we do not view climate change or the Antropocene due the major affects we have caused. Demos believed that these major affects where Green house gas levels have not been seen for over a million years until now, temperatures are increasing, we have made a hole in the ozone layer, we are losing biodiversity and that sea level is rising and ocean acidification is a real threat. So he would interpret this as a disastrous method of approaching climate change we are altering the earths natural cycles and if humanity does not save earth instead of controlling nature mankind will wipe out. An example of someone who supports the perspective that there is a problem with controlling nature and nature should not be controlled is Jean – Jacques Rousseau’s. Jean was a Genevan philosopher, writer and composer who came up with a theory of social contract in 1754. According to Rousseau’s theory of social contract humans leave an anarchic state towards nature this is because they are voluntarily transferring their personal rights to the community in return for security of life and property and the that the laws are corrupting humans, earth does not belong to us it is sublime. This implicates that the attitude of humanity is blind to see the negative effects already towards nature due to humans impact on nature and that without nature we would not be benefiting a comfortable life. Therefore we should be appreciating earth better, as well as finding more ways within the media to prevent the impact of the Anthropocene becoming more dangerous.
Tate Britains promotional trailer ‘The Great day of his wrath’ is another example of visual art within the media, that gives a perspective of the relationship between humankind and nature, and what the future could lead to if we continue to ignore climate change. The trailer was created for artist John Martins exhibition at the museum. Primarily, for John Martins infamous piece called ‘Apocalypse’ which is a controversial but significant painting focused on destruction and catastrophe. The piece portrays earth itself being torn apart, the ultimate vision of a catastrophe. It is quoted from the artists description and it mentions “there was a great earthquake…and every mountain and island were moved out of their places; and the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and every bondsman, and every freeman, hid themselves in the dens, and in the rocks of the mountains… For the great day of His wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?”(Revelation, 6:12-17). This quote implicates that there is a relationship between nature and humanity. The relationship between nature and humanity within this piece, is ‘the kings on earth’ are humans who treated nature unkindly, and are now excepting the grand and terrifying aspects of nature. This is due to mankind’s treatment towards nature. Such as viewing nature is a product to mankind. As a result of this ‘the great earthquake… and mountains were moved out of their place…,’ this meant humanity will not be able to stand or survive. Just like the image, which shows men curled up hurt or dead. This is relevant as, Tate Britains promotional trailer was aiming to establish this perspective. Plus, the aesthetics where that the relationship between the humans and how nature has grand and terrifying aspects such as the power to destroy us. This passive trailer gives the message of what could happen if we do not take action towards things like climate change and stop viewing nature as a possession to people. Demos would see this trailer as it establishing visuality towards climate change. However, would question how does the visuality and politics enter the Anthropocene.
To conclude this essay, there has been an increase in the media towards climate change or also acknowledged as the Anthropocene, which implies that it is being taking seriously and is a significant matter. However, theorists such as T. J. Demos would say the current media examples do not justify the entire issue and critiques them as negative examples of displaying and representing climate change and the ideological deffiniton of the Anthropocene.
Katie Davids https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/what-is-the-anthropocene.html
Potash mine article https://www.mining-technology.com/projects/legacy-potash-project-saskatchewan/
T J Demos https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/against-anthropocene
Tate Britain Article https://www.tate.org.uk/art/research-publications/the-sublime/anne-lyles-sublime-nature-john-constables-salisbury-cathedral-from-the-meadows-r1129550
Ursula Bieman https://repository.upenn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4646&context=edissertations
Developing Contemporary, Media Practice, Media Representations and Media Explorations 