Unlearning Intolerance: Art, Attitudes & Environment
May 8 – May 31, 2008

Unlearning Intolerance: Art, Attitudes & Environment, is directly tied to the seminar, Unlearning Intolerance: Art Changing Attitudes Towards the Environment. The exhibition compliments and expands upon the ideologies presented at the seminar, such as the connections between art, action, and human security, or art as vehicles for environmental action. Seven artists representing six global regions present their art to generate dialogue as an alternative approach in strengthening community engagement in conservation and preservation.

Participating Artists:
El Anatsui – Nigeria, Subhankar Banerjee – India, Catherine Chalmers – USA, Ichi Ikeda – Japan, Cecilia Paredes – Peru, Philippe Pastor – Monaco.

For more information on the exhibit and seminars, visit UN Chronicle or NWM Events.

Moving Towards a Balanced Earth: Kick the (Carbon) Habit
World Environment Day 2008

For the 2008 World Environment Day, UNEP continues to explore and address the theme of climate change, with an emphasis on moving toward a low carbon economy. Background: The Earth maintains a natural carbon balance. Under normal conditions, the system gradually corrects imbalances and returns to a balanced state. However the rate at which humans are now burning fossil fuels, introducing excesses of carbon into the atmosphere, has surpassed Earth’s ability to maintain balance. As a result, the Earth’s climate has begun to experience massive change.

Nature strives for balance. Carbon balance is one part of nature’s process to maintain stases. Humans, collectively and individually, also strive for balance.

What does it mean to be in balance as individuals and communities? What is the connection between the Earth’s imbalance and our imbalance as a species? Can nature serve as a model and mentor for discovering a way of living in balance, for coming into a state of equilibrium? The excess of atmospheric carbon is just one symptom of our environmental problems; water and air pollution, toxic waste—all of these are also symptoms of imbalance. The symptoms are expressed on both planetary and personal levels. Other species may adapt or become extinct. How will humans adapt?

Participating Artists:
AES & F Group – Russia, Ken Aptekar – USA, Lise Bjorne – Norway, Lien Botha – South Africa, Antonio Briceno – Venezuela, Enrique Martinez Celaya – Cuba, Alison Clouston – New Zealand, Shane Cotton – New Zealand, Bill Culbert and Ralph Hotere – New Zealand, Geoff Dixon – New Zealand, Chris Drury – UK, Mounir Fatmi – Morocco, Peter Fend – USA, Isa Genzken – Germany, Ilya & Emilia Kabakov – Russia, Walangari Karntawarra – Australia, Ik-Joong Kang – Korea, Gabriela Morawetz – Poland, Susan Norrie – Australia, Jun Nguyen-Hatsushiba – Vietnam, Susan Plum – Mexico, Ken Rinaldo & Amy Youngs – USA, Alexis Rockman – USA, Harriet Russell – UK, Soledad Salame – Chile, Lars Siltberg – Sweden, Cyprien Tokoudagba – Benin, Bill Viola – USA