Where have we come from and how does art and nature collide historically? Indeed, how can the two be reconciled? More importantly, where is the power of art headed at this time of humanity intertwined with the reality of climate change?
To look forward is to look back. Didn’t our ancient selves alert us by drawing attention to the earth’s dilemma? What about the hunger stones from the 15th century set at drastically low levels of rivers in Europe, warning of drought and famine? Huh? So, they had drought back then? Of course, no one is denying it. Floods? Back in 1219 the Great Drowning of Men (and Women) took place in the British Isles, the Netherlands and Germany. This, by the way, coincided with a new moon. I challenge you, then, that perhaps it’s the space junk we should be looking at?
However, don’t forget that when velocity doubles, so does momentum. Therefore, at the crazy speed with which the world develops and the population increases, so too grows the momentum of ultimate and imminent catastrophes. Further, although perceived still as imminent, the reality is that natural disasters caused by the heating and cooling of climate eco systems are really upon us, and unfortunately, what we have seen so far is just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak!
Not to be generic in any way, but I must pay tribute to the great Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci (and his colleagues) at the time of the High Renaissance. This man was mad intelligent. He thought out of the box, so much so that there was no box. As an artist, sculptor, architect, draughtsman, engineer, theorist and scientist, what would he have thought about climate change? He was obsessed with nature from a young age, and apparently bought caged birds and released them into the wild. It was also noted that he became a vegetarian, which possibly was common back then, due to the lack of ‘24/7s’. He was quoted to have stated quite eloquently that ‘water is the vehicle of nature’. There is now a Skellig foundation running ‘Da Vinci-inspired climate solutions’ competitions and a planned NASA mission named after him. The philosophies underpinning Da Vinci’s beliefs and interests in nature are now known as Renaissance humanism. Renaissance humanism could be considered as the alternative way of thinking to Catholicism, which dominated Europe during that period, and as such it paved the way for a revival of classical studies, art, architecture, scientific learning and individualism promoting civic virtue. Environmental awareness would factor into this new way of approaching the world
Obviously, Leo wasn’t the only artist to think in these ways. Many artists have taken stock of their surroundings by painting landscapes, animals and other natural features. Looking as far back into history we can, cavemen engaged in communicative drawings for all sorts of purposes, if not just as a record of their very being. Among Indigenous cultures, various species have been recorded in certain areas through rock art and totems, serving as evidence of endangered and extinct species having been present. In more recent times, it is interesting to look at the colours of skies and the natural landscapes in artworks, which have changed. Albeit produced with coloured rocks, pigments, minerals, natural fibres and plant materials of the surrounding region (or cataracts which may have blurred the vision of the artist), the colour of the depicted sky for example has become whiter due to pollutants and water droplets in the atmosphere and refracts light inversely from previous eras. Art is a record in history and future generations can look back and reflect on the emotions, events and mindsets of the time.