Stories About Our Planet

To put it mildly, a great deal of climate-themed art was exhibited during the major climate summit in Copenhagen. However, one got the impression that at least some of it was shown solely because the artist had received financial support, without actually having a deeply felt message to convey.

One artist who began creating images without financial backing - deeply influenced by the ongoing debates about climate change - was Stefanie Woschek. We see the result today. This series of 28 paintings addresses global warming, overconsumption, industrialization, and pollution in a deeply personal and heartfelt manner. Drawing inspiration from surrealism, the figurative imagery is set within landscapes that, while recognizable, have been torn from their concrete context. A small man - symbolizing humanity itself - wanders through deserts and distant icy seas, through strange cityscapes, rocky terrain, and vast rivers. Traces of destruction are visible everywhere: rising water levels threatening to submerge large parts of the globe, industrial cranes poised to destroy beautiful historic structures, and scientists engaged in futile debates. All of this stems from humanity’s lack of understanding regarding nature’s resources and our greedy, short-sighted exploitation of them.

Despite the magical, fairytale atmosphere of the images - or perhaps precisely because of it -the conclusions are strikingly clear. It is our fault -humanity’s fault. We are the ones who have acted wrongly, and now we must face the consequences. This conclusion becomes evident precisely because Stefanie Woschek, much like Hans Christian Andersen, employs imaginative storytelling to illuminate something that our rational minds have demonstrably struggled to grasp.

 While the paintings may wag a finger and leave no doubt about where the blame lies, Stefanie Woschek’s series is far more than a doomsday sermon. Unlike some climate activists, she finds no almost apocalyptic pleasure in the planet’s precarious state. The consequences of our actions are depicted, yet they are infused throughout with a liberating and highly poetic humor. For, as many of the paintings demonstrate, it is not too late. Humanity not only ought to change the situation but is capable of doing so. By combining reason with the empathy we have lost, we can reverse the trend—ideally by harnessing the technical ingenuity that has always characterized humankind. That is why a ladder frequently appears in the images. For Stefanie Woschek, the ladder symbolizes action—the choice not to remain stuck, but to take responsibility for one’s actions and do something. Thus, even though the horizon may look threatening, the outcome can be optimistic and full of hope. The choice is ours.
 
With her series of paintings, Stefanie Woschek demonstrates that she is an artist who works in a deeply personal way. She has created her own unique universe - one that is certainly magical and imaginative, yet simultaneously touches upon something vital to the future of humanity: the salvation of our planet. The images are accessible, imaginative, relevant, and timely. They embody everything modern art aspires to be, yet so often fails to achieve.
 
Tom Jørgensen, Editor of "Kunstavisen", BA in Art History
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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