Installation: Whitening Out

That's what this is about

The man-made climate change leads to more and more collapses of natural ecosystems. It is happening now and today!

Where politics fails, we intervene artistically. Aware of a changing world, we want to draw attention to two phenomena: Coral death and glacier shrinkage. The tropical coral reefs usually bleach from around January to March. At the same time, thousands of years old glacier landscapes are melting in Switzerland. Two habitats, thousands of kilometres apart, united in destruction. Climate change affects all of us and the consequences are unpredictable!

We bring together what is geographically separate. «Whitening Out» visualizes the first victim of our prosperity: dead coral reefs. Beautifully white and radiant in death. The porcelain works of art visually simulate this phenomenon. And all this in the heart of Switzerland at the gateway to the Swiss glaciers, in front of the Lucerne Glacier Garden.

200 corals cast out of porcelain decorate the water bottom at the Lion Monument. At night, thanks to a fluorescent glaze, they glow, illustrating nature’s natural call for help shortly before coral bleaching.

The special thing about it

We place this art where it is accessible to all. Because access to the topic of climate change is difficult for many people, and political opinion-forming is often distorted by the media with abstract images or visions. However, in everyday life we have hardly any points of contact with current, visible changes or even close ourselves to them.

Climate change, however, is not a trend topic, but a real situation that is already having a lasting negative impact on our life today. We need the efforts of all - business, politics and civil society - to bring about a fundamental rethink.

This is our motivation and commitment as a local art and education project «Biotope of Relevance», which visualises the effects of global warming on ecosystems and gives them weight.

This is what I need backing for.

In order to achieve a certain outreach for the project message, we are planning to collaborate with external artists, politicians and adventurers beyond the installation. It is also planned that the external artists will make a coral themselves.

During the installation period of three weeks, we would therefore like to organise some talks, readings, lectures and other events.

Therefore we need your support!

…because it concerns all of us and because we would like to participate with mutual efforts in a discourse whose relevance long exceeds the limitation of the moment.

The money of the crowdfunding is used for the porcelain of the corals, some working hours and expenses.