Art Exhibit Explores Climate Change

(PRESS RELEASE)_January 5, 2023 (Lake Worth Beach, Fla.) — A thoughtful exhibition focused on artists’ perspectives of the Earth’s shifting climate will soon be on display at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County.

Free and open to the public January 27 through April 8, the council’s Visualizing Climate Disruption exhibition will highlight more than 40 diverse works from 17 Palm Beach County-based professional artists. The show will take place in the Council’s Main Gallery at its downtown Lake Worth Beach headquarters; exhibition hours are Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 5 p.m.

Curated by the council’s director of artist services Jessica Ransom, the exhibition will offer an unparalleled perspective from these artists who are uniquely positioned to observe the effects of climate disruption. As Florida is on the front lines of sea level rise, climbing temperatures, catastrophic storms, devastation of coral reefs and disappearing seagrasses, this exhibition will explore the effects of climate disruption and engage audiences to consider topics such as the plight of endangered species, shrinking habitats, pollution, and coastal resiliency.

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“The focus of this exhibition is to engage the visitor in considering climate and the environment through a visual artists’ perspective,” Ransom said. “Each artist has a unique approach influenced by their background and individual life experience. Currently living in Florida, they cannot help but be engaged with Palm Beach County’s diverse ecosystem and the changes they are witnessing. These are the observations they have transferred to their canvases, installations and images.”

Visualizing Climate Disruption will feature a wide range of installations, including various sizes of sculptural pieces, photography, paintings and abstract mixed-media work. Visitors will be able to view an authentic artificial reef structure from the Marine Living Structures Initiative (a partnership between Michael Singer and his colleagues of Singer Studio and The Reef Institute), accompanied by a video and still images that show its future in local waterways. Also included in the exhibition will be opportunities to learn about a wide range of important topics through at-home family-friendly educational programming produced by the Cox Science Center and Aquarium.

The Palm Beach County-based professional artists featured in the exhibition are Susan Andreasen, Diane Arrieta, Tiffany Beasi, Gregory Dirr, Andrea Facusse, Rod Faulds, Ron Garrett, Jim Graham, Autumn Kioti, Michelle A.M. Miller, Gisela Pferdekamper, Jamie Rodriguez, Singer Studio, Christopher Staples, Sandra Miller Swill, Carin Wagner and Elaine Weber.

“As a local arts service agency, we provide a forum, through our gallery spaces, for professional artists to address and respond to issues through art that affect all of us,” said Dave Lawrence, the Cultural Council’s president and CEO. “This new exhibition is a remarkable opportunity to explore how artists interpret the challenges facing our environment and the questions that are raised about our roles and responsibilities in protecting our planet. We encourage everyone to join us for this fascinating and important exhibition.”

The exhibition will include didactic materials and opportunities for tours. The council will host a Member Preview on Thursday, January 26, at 5:30 p.m. Artists from the exhibition will be present to answer questions and discuss their work. A free Art Talk will also take place Saturday, February 4, at 2 p.m., featuring an engaging panel discussion led by West Palm Beach environmental arts writer Mary Jo Aagerstoun, Ph.D.

The exhibition is sponsored by Frances and Jeffrey Fisher, Florida Weekly and WLRN, in partnership with the Cox Science Center and Aquarium and The Reef Institute.