gaining affective and environmental engagement through socially engaged art between China and Australia
Revisiting
Lifeworld
ABOUT
Have you ever forgotten natural and civilisation? Or have you thought daily life stories were tales now? Our city seems to infect the bad Amnesia that leads to a decline in memory about the surrounding environment.
How might art reconstruct the ecological issues and provide active space for an in-depth debate or a closer dialogue?
I am taking action for social intervention by exploring a series of creative projects that engage the public and respond to the environment.
Abstract
Defy City Amnesia is a tool of social intervention that deals with environmental issues and how art can engage the public for thoughts. Like an art laboratory, this project consists of different experimental models, such as performative installation, projection art, immersive experience, and multi-sensory practice. It entails the creation of an active discourse space for civic dialogue, intending to draw public attention on the environment. The conversion from information to art finally serves an emotional affect trigger, which attempts to realize the mutual influence between psychology and behaviours.
Background & Context
Recent years, my home town has suffered from some natural disasters impacted by climate change. and since I studied in Australia, I have witnessed the recurring massive popular protests. Young people took part in school strikes for climate action while this action challenged paternalism, adults and politicians in positions of authority always give a patronising response. Although daily people are constantly informed with the news of climate crisis and devastating events, they always think that it is a fiction. They dismissed the appeals of climate strikes and attacked the messenger, rather than concerned with the message content.
In the book 'Place-Based Education: Connecting Classrooms and Communities’, Lane-Zucker describes that " A significant transformation of education might begin with the effort to learn how events and processes close to home relate to regional, national, and global forces and events, leading to a new understanding of ecological stewardship and community. " Therefore, In my project, I consider Place as a connection zone to this global issue as Place is deeply associated with individuals and the impacts of climate change has various manifestations in different areas. Lack of understanding and interest of the local place are impossible to respond to the worldwide crisis. Then, through art to achieve the transformation from the place to the affective environment as art has the power to engage people for thoughts by creating new experiences and phenomenological effects.