It is not a new terror; global warming has been creeping up on the environment for quite some time. For years, various activists have fought against environmental pollution and preservation. One such individual awarded more than 30 times for their art is Agnes Denes.
Denes is more famously known as an artist than an activist. This pioneer did something unimaginable with their art, not only to advance land art but also to fight for climate action. The potential effects of Denes’ contributions in fighting against environmental challenges shed light on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal for Climate Action.
"In a time when meaningful global communication and intelligent restructuring of our environment is imperative, art can assume an important role. It can affect intelligent collaboration and the integration of disciplines, and it can offer skillful and benign problem-solving. A well-conceived work can motivate people and influence how things are perceived," according to Denes.
Denes, acknowledged for their creativity since childhood, not only in developing art but also in writing, especially poetry, wrote six books as they perceived the world more profoundly. More remarkably, they are known for their art projects, portraying progressive ideas and forward-thinking interaction.
Denes’ art progression worldwide began in the 1960s, always focusing on environmental and ecological issues. Their ideology, standing out then and now, emphasizes creating art in natural settings, using the earth itself. By utilizing existing land, they turned art from something vivid and extravagant to something more earthy and fruitful, with installations not only mesmerizing but also productive in preserving the environment through approaches like reforestation.
1968: Rice/Tree/Burial marked a symbolic year for Denes, introducing the first iteration - an organic sculpture depicting life, human interference with climate, and poetry. They planted a rice field above the Niagara Gorge to represent life, chained trees together in a sacred Indian forest to symbolize human interference, and buried a time capsule with Haiku poetry. They then lived on the edge of Niagara Falls for eight days and nights, when railings were absent. This significant commitment emphasizes that art can be created using the naturally existing landscape without disturbing the earth or contributing to global warming.
1982: Wheatfield – A Confrontation witnessed Denes creating an egoless art form drawing attention to social concerns and climate action. This larger-scale artwork involved people from all walks of life, as a landfill was converted into agricultural land between Wall Street and the former World Trade Center. The paradox of transforming a valuable vacant lot into a field of golden wheat, worth $4.5 billion at the time, highlighted climate change and food shortage. Denes termed this art form "egoless," as it assumed the delicate task of maintaining a balance between thinking globally and acting independently. Within four months, the crop matured, yielding over 1,000 pounds of wheat distributed worldwide. This adaptive response of turning valuable land into a field not only aids in producing more food but also helps decrease the concentration of CO2. It embodies a protest against climate change, world hunger, and ecological concerns.
Beyond using her projects to address environmental challenges and misplaced priorities, Denes also fights for climate change by calling out injustices in the industry. Agnes Denes seeks to "cleanse art from its elitist self-involvement" and use art as "the integrator of disciplines" alienated through specialization. Her career always seeks to tackle climate change around the world. “I’m a very small person and may not be strong enough to make this happen, but I will fight as long as I can, and as long as I live, to help humanity because all of my art is to help humanity in some form. Each work is helping humanity in a different form, either understanding, or living, or surviving, or just kindness and compassion,” said Denes in an interview with Studio International.
Denes's work is an encouragement to embrace the transformative power of art as environmental challenges are being navigated. Their artwork fosters a deeper connection between creativity, sustainability, and the shared responsibility of preserving the earth for future generations. It especially highlights the imperative stand to be taken for climate action, by limiting the increasing global temperatures.