Look at the past, connect to the present, and imagine possible futures for us and our planet.

How can works of art help us to tell the stories of climate change?

Could paintings, ceramics and sculpture help us to imagine the world that we would like to live in – and inspire us to take action today?

Artworks selected by Galleries Learning Coordinator, Staff Sustainability Officer and climate activist Claire Evans offer a variety of perspectives on climate change. In the main Gallery space, a number of works are complemented by new interpretation panels that connect them with the ways in which human action is already affecting our climate. Look out for the green labels with Claire’s texts, offering new ways to approach the paintings and objects on display, and sparking quiet contemplation or discussion.

Alongside, a curated display looks to art to help us to reconnect with our natural surroundings: to reset our collective memory and our benchmarks for abundance and diversity in nature. Taking a deep dive into the University’s Art Collection, Claire has selected both well-loved and lesser-known works that remind us of the beauty and the importance of the natural world.

Artworks help us look at the past, connect to the present and imagine possible futures for us and our planet. They can help us to safely connect to the emotions that we need to feel in order to take action in our own individual ways.