The Big Picture open call is very important to us, as it addresses one of the fundamental topics of our project. As part of the open call, we invited individuals and institutions from all over the world to think about the extraordinary phenomena of climate change from their local perspective and portray this in a creative digital project. With their help, we will create a kind of global mosaic, the “big picture” of the climate crisis.
We want to put this big problem, which all living beings face, on the local, national, European and international stage. We want to address the climate crisis through art and in this way, also, trigger a wave of change among people.
The deadline for submitting works of art was in August, and the presentation of selected works and the opening of the exhibition are planned shortly. We will create an online gallery with products in various digital formats, such as video, photography, photomontage, collage or short literary texts, and we hope that in 2025 it will also become part of the pan-European Big Picture exhibition.
We are extremely proud to have impressed with our idea many renowned local and international artists, as well as institutions, and convinced them to participate in the open call.
The Big Picture – Artistic Perspectives on Climate Change / PI2025
This website presents a series of conversations and collaborations between artists, scientists and communities about our global climate emergency from local perspectives. We initiated this digital project during a time of global pandemic when the link between nature and human society is even more evident. We invited cities, cultural regions and organisations to nominate an artist or creative team to present an artistic work, short video sequences, photo-montage, photographs, collages or short literary texts.
Our bid to become a European Capital of Culture for 2025 aims to play a pivotal role in these crucial times by bringing the most fundamental question we face as living beings to a local, national, European and international stage – the climate crisis.
An international jury discussed all submission using four guiding thoughts:
- The art-work focus on a local issue or perspective relating to climate change
- The degree the art-work offers a fresh insight into the theme of climate change
- The degree the art-work offers a fresh insight into the artistic language employed
- The degree the art-work creates the sense of urgency regarding the theme of climate change
The jury decided that submissions could be divided into themes: Water, Landscapes, Air, Plastic and Waste, and Technology. We intend to organise a series of meetings with those who submitted work and others to discuss these themes and how artistic collaborations might be extended in 2021 – in case of positive ECoC bid.