Italian scientist combines climate research with art
Climate scientists, ecologists and activists can sometimes dismiss climate art as inaccurate or even useless. Andreco who works both as a scientist and an artist feels different.
“Artwork can change the perception of the environmental problem” he writes, backing the idea that culture is at the heart of system change as it directly influences individual behaviour.
“Nature As Art”
Andreco works as both an environmental engineer and as a visual artist, his art is influenced by scientific research on sustainable resource management, green infrastructure, mitigation, and adaptation.
Working as a scientist and doing research as a visual artist, he decided to overlap the two, developing a method named ‘Nature as Art’.
His pieces frequently moves natural elements into an artificial environment, to change people’s point of view; the perception and conventional meaning of objects. He feels his work is different from other environmental art, as he uses up-to-date scientific research.
Green Man – A person made from plants that purifies air polluted by people.
A tree hung from the ceiling
Installation made of ferns showing how they can remove metal pollutants from soil.
The Philosophical Tree, Bologna, using photocatalytic paint to treat NOx
PCB (polychlorinated biphenyl) wall painting in Brescia, site of a large PCB contamination of water and soil.
Climate Art Project
The Climate Art Project was launched in 2015 to promote debate between science, art, philosophy and activism, and explores the causes and consequences of climate change.
Interventions took place in different European cities, each emphasising the weaknesses of the territory where the project took place.
One project in Bari, Italy, highlighted the acceleration of desertification caused by rising temperatures. Another in Bologna focused on air pollutants and greenhouse gases. Venice focused on sea level rise.
CLIMATE 01 – Climate Change Causes and Consequences – Paris –2015
Climate 01 – Sculpture – Paris, 2015
Before the COP21 climate conference, a structure made from wood and climbing plants was installed in a community garden in the host city, Paris, with the help of the local community.
Reflecting on how important green space in cities is for a healthy environment, water and heat management, and good land use planning, Andreco installed a sculpture symbolising protective armour, on a platform used to grow herbs and small vegetables.
Schoolchildren gather in front of the mural
The wall of a primary school was also painted to represent water, nitrogen and CO2 cycles. Andreco painted this mural to represent his interpretation of global warming’s consequences, like sea level rise, longer wildfire seasons, more precipitation, flooding and intensified heat waves.
CLIMATE 02 – Emissions – Bologna – 2016
Visualisation of air pollution in one of the most polluted areas of Bologna.
Referencing vehicle emissions as one of the main causes of pollution in cities, Andreco’s next piece was situated at Bologna Bus Station, one of the most congested part of the city.
The work—’Emissions’—features black dots symbolising particulate matter drifting across wall and posters, surrounded by toxic gases like carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide and sulphur dioxide.
Further along the wall, there are greenhouse gas and water cycle pollution symbols, as well as graphs highlighting the rise of CO2 in the atmosphere.
Towards the end of the work, a tree branch emerges and catches fire. The final stage is a completely black poster.
3) CLIMATE 03 – Desertification -Puglia – 2016
Andreco – Climate 03 – Desertification – Bitoni, Bari 2016
Andreco’s third CLIMATE installation was an wall painting inspired by desertification studies in Bari, Italy, that emphasize environmental and social repercussions in the areas which is at risk of drought and desertification.
The non-uniform collection of shapes (in red and grey to reflect desertification maps) represent the unfair distribution of water resources and the changing pattern of rainfall due to climate change.
4) CLIMATE 04 – Sea Level Rise – Venice – 2017
|Andreco – Climate 04 – Sea level rise – Wall Painting – Venice 2017-2018
Andreco – Climate 04 – Sea level rise – Wall Painting – Venice 2017-2018
The Venice Art Biennale is hosting the final part of Andreco’s climate work highlighting sea level rise. A 100 meter long wall painting in Venice – a city chosen as most exposed to this kind of risk, visualises local studies on the topic. The installation includes some native plants to highlight how they can benefit Venice in adapting to the issue.
Andreco’s art is hosted in-
– VENICE –
Biennial – Italian Pavilion – until 25 November 2018 – Archipelago Italy. – Climate 04 – Sea Level Rise – Temporary installation and wall painting in Fondamenta Santalucia (Santa Lucia Train station, side Piazzale Roma, Venice)
– ROME –
primitive – until 26 June 2018 – PDA – Casa Musumeci Greco curated by Rosa Ciacci (rsvp)
– BERLIN –
Floating University – until 13 September 2018 – Flag installation, workshop and Artist Talk – the floating University is a project curated by Raum Labor, Tempelhof, Berlin
– MILAN –
Maps – border views (MAPS – overview on borders) – 13 to 16 June 2018 – Artist Talk and Collective show curated by Maria Paola Zedda – Palazzo Litta, Milan
– VERONA –
WITHOUT THEME – Paper / Paper – From 9 June 2018 – Studio La Città – Verona
– SANTARCANGELO DI ROMAGNA –
UNEARTH – MUSAS – Historical Archaeological Museum of Santarcangelo di Romagna – until September 2018 – with a special project in July for Santarcangelo Festiva