Relevant Notes & References from Dissertation Research...

The main topic discussed throughout my thesis was the success of activist artworks in communicating the issue of climate change - which has proved very beneficial where understanding specific approaches that could be taken where responding to the new Orangutan Foundation brief. Below are a few references I had researched that can be applied and of use where developing project ideas;

- 'Art creates an ‘emotional involvement’, (Volpe, 2018) a connection between us as humans'

- "...that a good picture, song, sculpture or building can get our attention and maybe change our minds." (Moore, 2010, p.7)

- “We suggest that activist art including environmental art should move away from the dystopian way of depicting the problem of climate change, toward offering solutions and emphasising the beauty and interconnectedness of nature”- the results of varied emotion further concluded that dystopian elements may prove effective where aiming to catch initial attention, and that the significant message behind environmental artworks should be ‘focused and hopeful’, maybe even more positive in encouraging action... (Sommer and Klöckner, 2019).

- "...where scripting a play to showcase applying performance art, recognised that “the people that have watched, that have been inspired to take the next step to actually join the group or go down to that creek and do something, they learnt that ‘hey, our creek needs help’, whereas if they had read it in the paper where you read so many articles now, it’s not necessarily the trigger for people. So I think art and performing art have a great way of inspiring people to take action or be aware of what they’re doing...” (Curtis, 2011).

- “the arts have an ability to communicate environmental information, provided voice to people working on environmental problems and to normalize concern for the environment, taking it from the realm of ‘problem’ to the realm of general conversation or even entertainment” (Curtis, 2011)

- “...personal responses are more engaging than government reports or scientific data, and that imaginative narratives are needed to humanize a remote form of nature” (Miles, 2010, p. 30)

- "One of the main aims of artists and activists where approaching activist artworks, is to make the “invisible, visible - much more than ‘raising awareness’."(Duncombe, 2016).

- (Extinction Rebellion) "...the activist groups “rapid success is due, in part, to the groups understanding of visual culture”, and how they are “aware that effective communication relies on good graphic design” (Morris, 2019)