The environmental crisis, one of the greatest challenges of our time, has become a central theme for artists worldwide, who use their art as a tool for raising awareness and driving change. With the pandemic having impacted society and the economy, sustainability in art has become an important branch of creativity, aimed at protecting the environment.
Environmental art emerged in the 1960s, with artists like Nils Udo and Piotr Kowalski paving the way for new forms of expression focused on nature and the relationship between humans and the environment. This art includes movements such as Ecological Art, Land Art, and Sustainable Art, with the goal of promoting environmental awareness and the restoration of the natural world.
Artists like Andy Goldsworthy create works that integrate nature through initiatives such as using natural materials and creating temporary works in natural spaces. Others, like Olafur Eliasson, use their works to highlight climate change, as seen in his installation “Ice Watch,” where he used pieces of ice to raise awareness about global warming.
Sustainability in art refers to the balance between the production of goods and the care for natural resources, ensuring that ecosystem resources renew at the same or faster rate than they are used. Through this philosophy, art becomes a tool for raising public awareness and changing behaviors.
Many artists, like Kostas Tsolkis and Danae Stratou in Greece, have incorporated an environmental dimension into their works, offering a creative reflection of our relationship with nature. Danae Stratou, with her work “Desert Breath,” creates pieces that connect the earth with artistic expression, while artists like Kostas Varotsos and Marios Spiliopoulos explore the human-nature relationship through contemporary art.
Sustainability is not just about changing the way art is produced but also about shaping a new mindset regarding our way of life. In this context, exhibitions and conferences, such as the symposium on the art of sustainability at the Onassis Foundation, provide a platform for enhancing dialogue and developing actions with environmental consciousness.
Art has now become an integral part of environmental change, with artists acting as agents of awareness and a driving force for a more sustainable and responsible society. The future of art is not just creative, but directly connected to the need for protecting and restoring the environment.
Organizations promoting sustainability in art: Center for Art Education and Sustainability (CAES), Art Exploration and Development, ecoartspace, Green Museum, Cultura21: international network for cultures of sustainability, Arts & Ecology, Sustainability and Contemporary Art, New Frontiers in Arts Sociology: 2007 ESA Arts Conference, The Center for Sustainable Practice in the Arts.
