Visitors to the Hammer Museum's show Breath(e) Toward Climate and Social Justice will be met with artwork illustrating the dire consequences of ecological degradation, such as powerful images from Flint, Michigan, highlighting the community's struggle for clean water and a vivid painting that transforms crude oil and contaminated sediment into a fish, symbolizing the tragic impact of pollution on marine life.
In an effort to minimize their own environmental impact, the Hammer Museum has taken significant steps, such as shipping art by ground instead of air to lower carbon emissions and using FSC paper for their exhibition catalog, showcasing their commitment to sustainable practices and addressing potential hypocrisy when presenting art about climate change.
As curators and directors of museums become more aware of the environmental costs associated with traditional practices of exhibiting art, there is a growing urgency to not only showcase or produce climate-related works but also to reassess the ecological ramifications linked with heating, cooling, lighting, and transportation involved in these exhibitions.
Glenn Kaino, a Los Angeles-based conceptual artist and co-curator of the exhibition, emphasizes the importance of accountability, stating, "It would absolutely be hypocritical for us to put on a show about climate change without questioning our implication in climate change," highlighting the museum's responsibility to practice what they preach regarding environmental stewardship.
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