Art has been used to represent and speak out about issues for decades now, and the issue of our ecological crisis isn’t left behind in this venture. As Brown exhibits in the introduction of his Art and Ecology, artists use many avenues of expression to create art. This art they make can impact those who view it on an emotional level, affecting people in ways that spouting facts and figures can’t always do. By spreading these messages on a level more accessible to the general public, artists are able to relay the facts quickly and more efficiently than scientific reports can do. Of course, the scientific data is essential, but to pass on that information in a way that can make a significant impact to those who may not have the time or desire to do their own research, artists play a vital role as the messenger. By collaborating with scientific specialists, artists can take the knowledge and turn it into a wordless message.

This use of art to broadcast data demonstrates the creativity of artists and the impact that art can really have. Art can have such an effect on people that it can cause social change, whether it be promoting fundraisers and donation efforts for specific crises or showing on a general level the issues that our Earth is going through because of human interference. By merely opening the floor for discussion, projects such as those described by Brown can lead to action in the hopes of bettering our world. Even art not meant to cause action for our environment, such as artwork from the time of westward expansion in the U.S., can cause us to reflect on the view we hold towards nature. As people take in the evidence of our destruction of the planet, art can be used as a tool to effect change in both our actions and our perception of nature in relation to man.

Brown, Andrew. “At the Radical Edge of Life.” Art and Ecology, 2014, pp. 6-15.