How does one even begin to define such a lofty term like “sustainability?" Some may find it scientifically complex or a buzzword that has become increasingly political. Whether we realize it or not, sustainability affects all of us from the choices we make in our shopping and eating habits. But do you know who is often missing from the sustainability narrative? Artists. I believe creatives have the power to shape hearts and minds towards collective action and good, therefore their role is critical in defining how we approach sustainability. In terms of what sustainability means to me, I relate to the notion that if we do not spend time taking care of the planet today, then our children and animals of the wild may not have somewhere to call home after we are long gone.
Artists play an important role in lending their creativity to the sustainability narrative. Lucy Lippard, an American writer and art critic, claims, “Artists cannot change the world...alone. But when they make a concerted effort, they collaborate with life itself, working with and between other disciplines and audiences. Outside the rather narrow world of art, they can offer visual jolts and subtle nudges to conventional knowledge.” (Lippard 6).
No one brings a jolt of energy to the climate conversation quite like Jane Fonda. In 2019, the 81-year-old film icon was arrested for climate change activism. Fonda even “moved to Washington in September to galvanize urgent action for the climate crisis by staging protests at the Capitol, where, wrapped in a bright red coat, she was arrested on several occasions” (Buckley). In 2022, she also founded the Jane Fonda Climate PAC, and she actively encourages people to “Take Action” and “Raise a Ruckus!" on her website, Fire Drill Fridays. Fonda says, “The climate crisis requires collective action on a scale that humanity has never accomplished. The cure for despair is action.”
Nicolas Bourriaud, French curator and art critic, proposes in his groundbreaking book, Relational Aesthetics, that “art should be judged aesthetically on how well it promotes interaction and dialogue, not just its content or individual meaning” (Truitt). He argues, “The role of artworks is no longer to form imaginary and utopian realities, but to actually be ways of living and models of action within the existing real,” (Bourriaud 13). Therefore, the interactive power between art and real life does not only inspire the creative process but can influence the audience to reimagine what is possible, which is especially valuable when envisioning a more sustainable world for all. This falls in line with the efforts of Jane Fonda and the aforementioned artists. It is no surprise therefore that, “sustainability is becoming a powerful muse for artists around the world, igniting their creativity and inspiring them to use their talents to raise awareness about critical environmental issues,” according to Ki Culture, a non-profit working to unite culture and sustainability.