Emily Brook
Youthful Ease at Climate’s Peril
How do we perceive the relationship between our actions and global climate change? It is easy to forget that we affect the world through our own actions, which are often driven by consumerist demands and the need for goods. My project is a digital exhibition designed to help visitors explore these issues and the ways corporations, governments, and other powerful forces shape the looming climate crisis.
My exhibition opens up a conversation between a digital piece, A Guide to Climate Impact for the Modern Young Adult, and a collection of Edward Burtynsky's photographs. It prompts the viewer to consider the question of scale and the seeming disconnection between the lifestyles of America’s youth and the environmental destruction caused by consumerism.
Many young Americans enjoy a lavish lifestyle, characterized by heavy digital engagement, the use of artificial intelligence, and trend-driven consumption. The growing demand for convenience and immediate gratification obscures the link between everyday choices and ecological impact.
The exhibition experience begins online, like many of the conversations in which young people today engage. Two kinds of research—factual information on the results of individuals’ actions and Burtynsky’s photographic evidence—join forces in this work. The accompanying booklet presents the information first and Burtynsky's work second to suggest cause and effect, prompting the viewer to consider the connection between the two phenomena.
View the full project at https://sites.google.com/newschool.edu/untitled
View this project on issuu.
