Every few years, the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) releases the National Climate Assessment (NCA), which covers the current science of climate change, and an assessment of its impacts as well as possible solutions. The Fifth National Climate Assessment report is expected to be published later this year.
“The Fifth National Climate Assessment will provide the expert knowledge needed to deliver on President Biden’s historic commitment to tackle climate change while creating good jobs and addressing environmental justice” says Jane Lubchenco, Deputy Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
For the first time, this edition of the NCA will also include climate art created by adults and young people from across the United States. After Art x Climate’s call for submissions last year, over 800 people submitted their artwork to be considered. Expert jury panels selected more than 90 of these to be included in the upcoming report.
“Art x Climate harnesses the power of the visual arts to show a deeper understanding of how the many impacts of the climate crisis are being felt by artists from across the nation,” says Lubchenco. “We are proud to feature nearly 100 artists as a new approach to communicating the urgency of this critical moment for America’s future.”
The jury also selected five artists among this group whose work they thought was particularly well-placed to encourage discussion about the need to take climate action. Last month, the White House announced these winners, which include two adults and three youth artists.
Take a look at the five winning pieces below:
Tammy West (Austin, TX) – “Keep it Together”
Tammy West’s “Keep it Together” was inspired by the severe droughts that Texas and other states have experienced over the past years. West created a site-specific environmental art piece that symbolically and literally stitches cracked dry earth back together.
In her artist statement, West wrote, “I wanted this piece to convey the desperate situation that we are in by mimicking surgical sutures or stitches with red string and nails. If we must resort to tying our world back together, we have nothing.”
Simona Clausnitzer (Port Townsend, WA) – “In the Eye of the Storm”
Simona Clausnitzer’s linocut “In the Eye of the Storm” was inspired by the impact of Hurricane Maria which heavily hit several islands in the Carribean in 2017, particularly Dominica and Puerto Rico.
In her artist statement, Clausnitzer writes “As the climate continues to change, catastrophic storms are expected to become more severe in the Caribbean region. Mirroring a local memorial, shoes follow the road to calmer places.”
The piece combines three linocuts that each represent one factor of the hurricane: the storm itself, impacts on infrastructure and the effect it continues to have on people.
Taelyn B. (Boise, ID, 11th grade) – “Endangered West”
Taelyn B. created an elaborate color pencil piece that combines different ecosystems in one image to show a variety of endangered species.
In Taelyn’s artist statement for her piece “Endangered West”, she writes “I live in Boise, Idaho, and am surrounded by wild places that I consider part of my home. I want to ensure that these ecosystems are protected. I hope viewers come away with an appreciation for our Western wild places and the importance of biodiversity and healthy ecosystems threatened by climate change and habitat loss.”
Amelia K. (Pennington, NJ, 10th grade)– “Cautionary tale”
A gouache painting by Amelia K. from New Jersey took home another of the youth awards. “Cautionary tale” shows an artist drawing indoors against a backdrop of a window to a landscape of polluting factories.
In her artist statement, Amelia writes “I showed factories pumping toxic gasses and fuels into the air. I also included a figure drawing childlike images of factors that have or will be destroyed by climate change. Broken green crayons symbolize the destruction of nature as climate change worsens.”
She added, “This is a completely possible future for our planet, with bumblebee death tolls rising due to climate change and clean water becoming inaccessible for the less fortunate. Without action this problem will only worsen.”
Ritika S. (Concord, NC, 8th grade)– “Redrawing The Earth”
The colored pencil drawing “Redrawing the Earth” by Ritika S. ends the list of winners on a hopeful note. As Ritika’s artist statement explains, “In my art, I try to convey that we can help reverse the effects of climate change.” This is made clear in the picture by showing one hand erasing pollution and the other redrawing a healthier planet.
Ritika’s statement continues, “I hope people learn from my art that they can help change the world by just doing simple things like driving less, not littering, and maybe even setting up solar panels or wind turbines. The effects of climate change are only in our hands, so we should do whatever we can to help.”
All five winners will be included in the report of the Fifth National Climate Assessment which is due to be published later this year.