It’s no surprise that climate change is an overwhelming topic: it’s large and abstract. When our brains are faced with such an intangible and all-encompassing problem, even the most motivated of us are likely to succumb to apocalypse fatigue. However, climate change art is the antidote to apocalypse fatigue. That’s because art is action; moreover, art inspires action. 

In this blog, we’ll dive into the basics of climate change art, how art can impact the preservation of the environment, and top environmental artists that are currently using creativity to fight apocalypse fatigue. 

What is Climate Change Art? 

Climate change art is art that explores environmental issues. In other words, climate change art is art with impact. By simplifying complex scientific topics into visually appealing and easy to understand drawings, paintings, and sculptures, climate change art makes these complex concepts accessible to a wider audience. Moreover, climate change artists expertly wield color, shape, medium, and composition to evoke impactful and emotional responses from their viewers. After all, the purpose of climate change art is not only to enhance awareness of environmental issues, but also to drive impactful action that helps to mitigate the harms of climate change in the first place. Now, let’s explore why art is an important tool for inspiring climate action. 

Why is Environmental Art Important?

Bill McKibben, the insightful climate activist, author, and founder of 350.org believes that an intellectual understanding of climate change is not enough to fix it. If we intend to inspire truly meaningful change, we must engage the other side of our brains. We must approach the problem with our imagination, and artists hold the key to engaging our imagination. Likewise, climate change art is the perfect counterpart to scientific facts. Art is therefore critical to inspiring imaginative, innovative, and impactful solutions. 

In addition to engaging our imagination, art has a greater ability to permeate popular culture than cut-and-dry scientific facts. Simply put, beautiful visuals resonate with our aesthetically-focused culture more than facts and numbers. As a consequence, climate change art is able to enter the cultural conversation in a way that scientific data isn’t able to. This is important to note, because as the climate scientist Ed Hawkins explains, “infiltrating popular culture is a means of triggering a change of attitude that will lead to mass action.” Moreover, by infiltrating popular culture, climate change art can reach global audiences that together have the ability to inspire mass action. Likewise, there are many environmental artists around the world that are doing just that: engaging our imagination, infiltrating our popular culture, and inspiring action.  

Top Environmental Artists 

Jason deCaires Taylor

A sculpture of a banker with his head stuck in the sand rests at the bottom of the ocean floor in one of Jason deCaires Taylor’s dynamic sculptural installations in Isla Mujeres, Mexico. This emotional work of art speaks to the perils of climate change and the lack of action in the modern world to resolve the problems at hand. His poignant, underwater sculptures promote ocean conservation in an innovative way; likewise, Jason has been recognized for both his creativity and inspirational leadership as a climate change artist. 

Zaria Forman

Sapphire blue ice reflects in the crystalline waters of Zaria Forman’s life-like pastel drawings of the Antarctic. Capturing the ethereal majesty of Antarctica, Zaria hopes to make “Antarctica’s fragility visceral to the viewer, emulating the overpowering experience of being beside a glacier.” Zaria’s work brings remote landscapes that are rarely seen by the public into the public’s eye, furthermore, her work integrates climate change action into the discourse of our popular culture. 

Rhianna Rose

A crashing wave cuts through the composition of Rhianna Rose’s environmental painting, as paperwork detailing environmental pollution transforms into flitting butterflies in the foreground. Her metamorphosis painting explores the transformative change that must happen in order to successfully regulate environmental issues and protect the oceans. Moreover, Rhianna’s thought-provoking environmental paintings and drawings have been awarded for their creative use of symbolism to promote climate action. 

Fighting Apocalypse Fatigue with Climate Change Art 

If the utter immensity of climate change starts to induce apocalypse fatigue, just remember that climate change art is an incredible antidote to apathy. By appreciating environmental drawings, paintings, and sculptures, you can connect to a community of creative, caring, and action-oriented individuals that are putting in the work to drive environmental awareness and influence climate action. Not to mention, there are numerous environmental artists that donate a portion of their profits directly to environmental organizations, so investing in a piece of environmental art often means investing in climate action. 

Explore Rhianna Rose’s environmental landscape paintings and support the meaningful environmental work of EarthJustice and Surfrider Foundation.