How arts & culture work for our planet
Today, the 11th of March 2021 is the 10th anniversary of the Fukushima nuclear reactor meltdown, a tragedy which took lives, homes and hopes. The disaster left the Japanese population in great despair. Because the Japanese government passed a ban which, out of security reasons, prohibited any reporting inside the country, a group of artists set up a website...
In the first part of this series about the functionalities of art, I have introduced you to the ‘battle’ between the instrumental vs. the intrinsic value of art. It is certainly not a new debate – indeed it all started about 2500 years ago with Plato and Aristotle. Continuing with: the seven functionalities of art #4: Morals The civilising...
This article will introduce you to the many functions attributed to art. It takes you on a 2500 years’ trip from Plato to Bourdieu. The battle is between instrumentalization and autonomy, between utility and freedom of the arts. Both sides are still valid in today’s cultural policy debates. This article provides a shortcut to a better understanding of the opposing positions....
Reduce your impact – eat responsibly! The WWF International recently published its annual Living Planet Report for 2020. It provides an overview of where we are at in the pursuit of preserving our natural world and the ecosystems on which we depend. All this talking about the planet’s ecosystem, biodiversity loss, extinction etc. How does it translate to your everyday life? What does...
Individual = Collective When it comes to consumption, we believe me make rational choices. Buying bio food without palm oils and not falling into the trap of ‘buy 2 get 1 for free’ offers. We fail to understand that, here too, individuality is a total illusion: the individual won’t make it far, neither in career related matters nor in consumption...
Sustainability in Art: a mere Subject? The fact that artists have made sustainability a subject of their work has become rather common. Numerous not only talk about it but criticise wasteful behaviour or offer alternatives. They put the topic at the heart of their creation. They raise awareness of the urgency of this matter. But are they also sustainable...
