Global Health and the Environment

Global health has been a highly notable concern to the world for various decades now. Genetically modified organisms, fast food restaurants, and environmental protection are social and political issues that are constantly addressed by activists. The Critical Art Ensemble with Beatriz de Costa is one of many projects which addresses the health problems that arise from how food is being produced. The Biotic Baking Brigade is another movement which applies the use of pranks in order to support their purpose of fighting for social justice, ecology, and animal rights movement.  Agnes Denes is a famous artist who cultivated two acres of wheat near Wall Street in New York City to support her confrontation of nature and urbanization. During the climate change conference in 2015, artist Olafur Eliasson created  a circle of icebergs at the Place du Panthéon in Paris dedicated to the severe issue of global warming. Global health and Global warming are often not recognized sufficiently, artists take the task upon themselves to raise awareness of the issues many ignore.

The collective of five tactical media artists Steve Kurtz, Steve Barnes, Dorian, Burr, Hope Kurtz, and Beverly Schlee established themselves as Critical Art Ensemble (CAE). They explore the art, political issues, social activism, and technology that intersects with the delicate subject of global health. Their collaboration with artist and researcher Beatriz De Costa,  a machine artist and tactical media practitioner who is employed as a professor at University of California at Irvine (MASS MoCA, pg. 115). This project was directed to raise public awareness about the foods that are being consumed in everyday life that lead to obesity, development of diseases, and infertility. The name of their project is titled “Free Range Grain”, the idea originated from the European Union being recognized as “Fortress Europe” was first established and performed at the Schirn Kunsthalle in Frankfurt  (MASS MoCA, pg. 115). The concept they plan to enforce is whether or not genetically modified organisms (GMOs) can be replaced with natural foods that do not require chemicals. In addition, with this project they test the theory of what organic foods really are and if they are as safe as they claim to be.

The team of activists used a laboratory to test the foods that were brought in by visitors for genetically modified organisms. If GMOs were present in the foods tested it would prove that the country was allowing  fruits, vegetables, and grains that were scientifically edited into the country. In their interview that group stated that they were inspired by the AIDS movement in the 1980s and by artists such as Gran Fury and Group Material. Their movement is steadily increasing as they travel to different locations appropriate for their cause, search new areas, and use new tools to better their research. According to the CAE, campaigns, actions, and resistance are positive techniques to enforce a movement but revolutionary art cannot be put into action without a revolution.

Using food as an act of resistance is not a popular technique but a highly effective one when it is used to enforce a statement about ecology, animal rights and social justice. This political movement is implemented by The Biotic Baking Brigade in New York, NY founded in the late twentieth century. In order to keep their identities private the collaborative team use fake names such as Agent Apple, Agent Salmonberry  or Agent Chocolate supreme (MASS MoCA, pg. 69). Their video project title

The Biotic Baking Brigade's Pie Any Means

d “Pie Any Means Necessary” is dedicated to the belief that under neoliberalism, economic fascism can have a pie thrown in the face. The video documents the Biotic Baking Brigade (BBB) humorous tactics to push forward their activism with the use of pies. They have thrown one of the most popular comedy props into the faces of famous powerful figures such as Bill Gates, San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, Milton Friedman, and Jennifer Jolly (MASS MoCA pg. 70). They have also pranked Canadian prime minister Jean Chretien, Hilmar Kabas of Vienna’s freedom party, and the ex-president of the World Trade Organization Renaldo Ruggiero. BBB finds that using this prank is a tactic make these figures feel embarrassed which will allow them to be humanized for the moment. The reactions are always diverse, the group sympathizes with their victim but because they are leading powerful lives that are difficult to be a part of. Although the group recognizes their movement may infuriate the victims or make them feel ashamed, they often still celebrate their success.

In the summer of 1982, artist Agnes Denes established her movement in the Battery Park landfill of Manhattan with the use of grains. The name of her project was established as A Confrontation: Battery Park Landfill, Downtown Manhattan, she planted and harvested two acres of wheat near what is Wall Street and world trade center facing the statue of liberty. After months of preparing for the project 200 truck loads of dirt were brought in and 285 furrows were dug by hand with the aid of volunteers, as they removed any garbage and rocks out of the area (www.greenmuseum.org). The seeds were planted by hand and treated for four months with the use of fertilizers and an irrigation system, harvested on August 16th the field produced over 1,000 pounds of healthy wheat. The field was a representation of nature, energy, ecology, and world hunger yet caused much controversy for being planted in an area that was worth billions of dollars. The harvest was given to horses and sent out around the world to be expanded, the project symbolized awareness to the environmental priorities that had to be made by society. The growth and birth of this project was astonishing but soon ended when a millionaire complex was constructed over it. Although the project was not able to continue to grow and cultivate for the world it made a significant impact to the possibilities that can be accomplished through art and passion.

Art is expression, production, and significant, applying it to social and political issues are the best way to enforce a movement. In early October of 2015, Olafur Eliasson set out into the ocean off of the coast of south Greenland in

Olafur Eliasson's Ice Watch

search of a dozen icebergs with the help of  geologist Minik Rosing and others, for a project that would soon astonish the entire world. The project named “Ice Watch” proposed the concept of time, each iceberg represented a time on the clock, set outside of the Place du Panthéon in Paris, where the public would be able to slowly watch melt. Eliasson stated,  “A circle is like a compass. It leaves navigation to the people who are inside it. It is a mistake to think that the work of art is the circle of ice—it is the space it invents. And it is on a street in Paris—and a street in Paris can’t be more important than it is right now,”(Cynthia Zarin, 2015). The ice melted from December 3rd through December 12th, 2015 weighing 80 tons. This art project enforced the idea that global warming is a reality that cannot be ignored and is continuously harming the earth, wildlife, and the environment.

The Critical Art Ensemble, The Biotic Baking Brigade,  Agnes Denes, and Olafur Eliasson are just a few artists and collaborations that have made long lasting impacts in the world. Their purpose, ambition, and artistic passions have influenced and impacted society to wake up and be aware. Fighting for global warming, global health, and animal rights are movements that the entire world should support because they are global issues that affect the lives of people everyday. World hunger, pollution, and animals that are in danger of becoming extinct, these are issues that must be addressed and solved. Although they may not occur over night or by the dedication of one person, when members of society work as a collaborative much can be accomplished and changed. Political activists and art activists both work towards achieving their goal and purpose but apply different techniques, methods, and tools for success. Creating their own voices, defending their beliefs, and using unique techniques to address what they are passionate about is what makes these artists prominent and respectable.

Resources

• "How the Grassroots Works." RenewAmerica. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Apr. 2017.
• "Art & Ecology:." Art & Ecology: Ecological Art Perspectives and Issues: Ecological Restoration: Agnes Denes. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Apr. 2017.
• "Ice Watch Paris." Ice Watch Paris. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Apr. 2017.
• Thompson, Nato, and Gregory Sholette. The Interventionists: Users' Manual for the Creative Disruption of Everyday Life. North Adam: MASS MoCA, 2004. Print.
• "Agnes Denes." Agnes Denes. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Apr. 2017.