HALF A DEGREE – How to Wear the Climate Change?
Exhibition HALF A DEGREE – How to Wear the Climate Change? was opened in Solaris Shopping Mall on 19th October 2020. The exhibition focuses on various challenges that fashion industry is facing in the context of sustainable developement. Participators are artists from the Estonian Association of Scenographers.
In addition to set design costume is one of the basic means of communication in scenography. Fashion industry is well known as one of the most polluting industries contributing to global environmental issues. The Paris Climate Agreement, signed in the global fashion capital, aims to prevent the increase of global temperature more than 2°C above the temperature benchmark set before the beginning of Industrial Revolution. Today we have just a half a degree to go to reach that crucial point. The exhibition asks fundamental questions with regards to values and mindsets that have lead humanity to this point and offers experimental solutions for alternative future scenarios.
To better understand the phenomena of fast fashion the artistic research takes into account broader issues such as infinite economical growth and overconsumption, urbanisation and overpopulation, our dysfunctional relationship with nature, preservation of the social and cultural tradition of handcraft in times of mass culture, the role of scientific and artistic experiments in the future of fashion.
The preproduction of the exhibition began in spring 2020, thus the corona crisis inevitably had a significant influence on the process. The link between pandemics and climate change is well known. In the post-pandemic world our relationship with environment will probably become more relevant than ever before. Art and artists might have a significant role in the creation of new normal. Regardless of age, sex, social status, cultural background or personal preferences in style, every single person who wears clothes is in direct contact with the fashion industry. Shopping mall as an alternative exhibition space brings contemporary art closer to audiences who do not visit galleries on regular basis.
Solaris Center was especially suitable as an exhibition space as it offers an alternative to fast fashion by focusing on ethical production and local brands. The exhibition took place from 19.10 – 31.10.2020 in the entrance hall of the shopping mall. After the physical event the exhibition will be open to public in virtual space on the web page of the Estonian Association of Scenographers.
Estonian Association of Scenographers started the exhibition series 1:10 to promote the works of scenographers to broader audiences. Previous exhibitions include Võimatud Ruumid (2017) in the Estonian National Museum, Võõrad (2018) in Niguliste church and Multiversum (2019) in ArtDepoo gallery.
Participating artists: Liisi Eelmaa, Ellen-Alice Hasselbach, Liina Keevallik, Laura Kõiv, Marge Martin, Alyona Movko-Mägi, Maarja Pabunen, Kersti Prosa, Nele Sooväli, Tuulikki Tolli
Curator: Maarja Pabunen
Exhibition space design: Liina Tepand
Digital poster: Alyona Movko-Mägi
Photographs for the virtual exhibition: Laura Kõiv, Ramin Pourmand, Marge Martin
Special thanks: Cultural Endowment of Estonia, Estonian Artists’ Association, Solaris Centre
