ART AND ECO-DESIGN: THE FRENCH TOUCH

All the indicators are in the red, whether they’re signaling climate, biodiversity or pollution. Marked by heatwaves, 2022 was the hottest year on record, providing undeniable proof that global warming is accelerating. Faced with these issues, an increasing number of artists are concerned about the environmental impact of their art. They have realised that the [...]

Eco-design|

ECO-DESIGNED ART FAIRS: RESULTS FROM ART PARIS 

The Art Paris fair brought together 130 modern and contemporary art galleries from 7 to 10 April 2022 at the Grand Palais Éphémère, Paris. Directed by Guillaume Piens and organised by France Conventions, the fair took advantage of its 25th anniversary to take a strong turn in terms of environmental commitment. In addition to highlighting [...]

Eco-design|

Put an end to waste in culture

Ki Culture, based in the Netherlands, is an exciting new player identifying the link between culture and sustainability. Under the impetus of its founder Caitlin Southwick, whom we interviewed (on our IGTV), Ki Culture is determined to instigate change in the cultural sector, especially museums and heritage, seeing the potential to create significant movement in [...]

Eco-design|

Is the end nigh for MDF board?

It’s everywhere, big and small, in exhibitions and art fairs, homes and offices: "Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF) used in a raw dry environment", otherwise known simply in France as medium. But what is the lifecycle of an MDF board? To find out, it's simple, you have to make your EPD or Environmental Product Declaration! Let's [...]

Eco-design|

Contemporary art and Green IT

At a time of digital transformation of the art sector, both via virtual exhibitions, digital art, mobile applications and eCommerce platforms, questions about its environmental impact are being raised more now than ever. Because the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry is the most resource intensive, and plays a significant part in climate change. Some [...]

Eco-design|

Museums and climate: the British way

We must once again confess; the UK’s cultural sector has made a head start on sustainability. After galleries (see the article on the carbon footprint of galleries in our last Impact Arts News issue), it’s now the turn of museums to accelerate their ecological transition. Eight amongst 256 proposals have just been selected to radically [...]

Eco-design|

Anglo-Saxons taking the lead on the carbon footprint of art galleries

While many museums have taken the lead in their sustainable development policies but have been slow in sharing their best practices, contemporary art galleries have taken advantage of collective emulation and shared their discoveries and expertise.  Two similar initiatives have been launched by our Anglo-Saxon friends, with the common objective of establishing a "new standard" [...]

Eco-design|

What is eco-design?

Eco-design derives from life cycle analysis, which appeared in the 1970s. It is officially defined as: ‘integrating environmental characteristics into product design to improve its environmental performance throughout its life cycle’ (2009 European eco-design directive). In other words, through eco-design, progress to significantly reduce environmental impacts can be identified and implemented in all human activities. [...]

Eco-design|

What are the main environmental impacts of a contemporary work of art?

This general question is the common thread of this new section, which seeks to understand and reduce these impacts. To start with, they are distributed throughout the ‘life cycle’ of an artwork – from design to production, then when it is being exhibited, conserved, and if there is one, at its end-of-life. Only an overview can [...]

Eco-design|

New Section: Eco-design

Impact Art News is delighted to launch a new section called ‘Eco-design’. The Covid crisis is giving rise to many questions on the environmental impacts of art. In response, Art of Change 21 has decided to share its knowledge and experience on art and sustainability, and explore technical questions with the help of Solinnen, a partner with [...]

Eco-design|