Climate change gets an artistic twist at Hot Water Symposium

Two environmentally-focused exhibitions were showcased at UCT's Michaelis Galleries as part of the Gordon Institute for Performing and Creative Arts' Hot Water symposium.

Imagining climate change: These works by Simon Max Bannister (left) and Tony Grogan are currently being showcased at the Michaelis Galleries.

In the Facing the Climate series, climate-themed cartoons by five Swedish artists appear alongside those of five South African cartoonists. This exhibition, initiated by the Swedish Institute, has been hosted in various other cities like Athens, Rio and Tel Aviv.

In each exhibition artworks by local cartoonists/illustrators were presented with those by the Swedish cartoonists. South African contributors include Tony Grogan, Zapiro and Wilson Mgbohozi. Artist and writer, Ann-Marie Tully, is the curator of the South African Facing the Climate exhibitions.

In a collection of work titled EKDUO, environmental artist Simon Max Bannister uses the menace of plastic litter as a medium. His exhibition- which derives its name from the ancient Greek meaning "to put off the body, the clothing of the soul"- represents a longing to shed skin, to be rid of excess and the obsolete.

The Hot Water symposium on climate change was hosted in association with UCT's African Climate and Development Initiative (ACDI) and featured prominent speakers from the sciences, the arts and humanities, architecture as well as government departments focused on climate change. The weekend-long event also included screenings of films by national and international artists.