Climate change, global warming and environmental degradation are problems which humankind has been facing in the past few decades. Today, the negative impact of the environmental change is troubling us more than ever. The main reason these occurrences are taking place nowadays is due to human mismanagement of Earth's resources, unsustainable lifestyle and releasement of gas emissions and other pollutants into our environment. Imbalance of harmful and toxic matter in the environment causes decrement in ecological value, which is manifested in physical, chemical, and biological changes. These represent a big threat to various living organisms on our planet, including humankind. In order to recognize the severity of the mentioned problem, we need to further investigate environmental degradation and human relation to it. Ecological consciousness strengthens and spreads through sharing information. A conscious individual accepts his responsibility to a natural habitat and acts to preserve its primary natural state. (Hluszyk in Stankiewicz, 1998)
Information regarding environmental problems are mostly spreading through the messages of mass media. However, they are not the only ones capable of doing so. Fine arts also have the capacity of distributing ecological messages with which eco-consciousness is being spread in our society. Through artistic practice, artists explore and question the relationship between people and their environment. As informed individuals, they challenge us to act and reconsider the importance of environmental protection, sustainability, and other ecological practices. (Duh, Herzog in Zupančič, 2016)
In my bachelor thesis, I am researching environmental art with focus on photography in eco-art. Influenced by other eco-artists, I explore one of the contemporary environmental challenges of our society today, which is waste production and management, through photo lens. In my photographical series, I address the mentioned issue and encourage public to reconsider their actions, challenge viewers in proactive behaviour and make them re-evaluate their set of beliefs.
|
