Man-made climate changes, often denied by politicians and ignored by many ordinary citizens, threaten the survival of every species on Earth. If carbon emissions remain at current levels, scientists predict a collapse in agriculture and the economy, food and water shortages, frequent natural disasters and unprecedented refugee crises.

By reflecting on these environmental threats, many contemporary artists have turned into climate activists, using their work as a platform to raise awareness and envision a more sustainable future for the planet. All over the world, more and more artists are using art to publicly comment on the climate crisis. Increasingly often, they take up the challenge of creating symbols that would be powerful enough to penetrate social consciousness.

On the example of works from the collection of the Zachęta Lower Silesian Society for the Encouragement of Fine Arts featured at the What After / What For exhibition supplemented by works by other artists, we will try to answer the question of whether art can teach us to be more sensitive and help us understand the complexity of the world around us in the face of climate crisis.

The event accompanies the exhibition What After / What For. More information about the exhibition, link.

Lecturer: Jagoda Łagiewska, curator of the exhibition What After / What For, art historian (master’s degree at the University of Wrocław, 2018) and interior designer by profession (studies at the Eugeniusz Geppert Academy of Art and Design in Wrocław, 2006–2010; Akademie der Bildenden Künste in Munich, 2008). She has spent over ten years working abroad (in France, Germany, Japan, England, Italy, Spain, the United States, and also in Asia). Her professional experience includes working for the Mudima Foundation of Contemporary Art in Milan, after which she assumed the position of the main artistic manager of the WeGallery contemporary art galleries in Berlin, where she was responsible for the organisation, management and promotion of art. She has curated a number of exhibitions and took an active part in art fairs (Basel, Frieze, Tefaf, Fiac, Artissima, Volta, Liste, Miart). She currently works as an artistic advisor and cooperates with many institutions and individual artists. Contemporary art is her greatest passion.

Logotyp. Na białym tle z lewej strony czarny orzeł w koronie, z prawej strony czarny napis Ministerstwo Kultury, Dziedzictwa Narodowego i Sportu.
The purchase of works for the collection of the Zachęta Lower Silesian Society for the Encouragement of Fine Arts was co-financed by the Minister of Culture, National Heritage and Sport from the Culture Promotion Fund. Name of the task: Development of a regional collection of contemporary art in Wrocław in 2021

Logo Wrocław Miasto Spotkań. Na białym tle czarna podłużna ramka. W niej z lewej strony na czarnym tle białe słowo „Wrocław”, a po prawej stronie na białym tle czarny napis „miasto spotkań”.
The public task called PROMOTION OF THE CULTURE OF WROCŁAW THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF A REGIONAL COLLECTION OF CONTEMPORARY ART IN WROCŁAW IN 2021 is co-financed from the funds received from the Municipality of Wrocław

Logotyp Dolnośląskiego Towarzystwa Zachęty Sztuk Pięknych. Na białym tle, po środku czarna kreska przebiegająca od góry do dołu. Z lewej strony z kreską styka się przekrzywiony czarny kwadrat. Z prawej strony napis małymi literami w czterech rzędach „dolnośląskie towarzystwo zachęty sztuk pięknych”