Climate Knowledges
Climate Knowledges invites you to challenge today’s mainstream discourse surrounding climate change and to rethink its histories, presents and futures.
ATTENTION: MAMA has opened the doors of their showroom again. Please click here for more information about how to book timeslots and visit MAMA in times of corona.
To experience a virtual version of Climate Knowledges please follow this link.
With: Annie Mackinnon (UK), Jessica El Mal (UK), Josèfa Ntjam (FR) and Regina Kanyu Wang (CN)
Programmed by: Angela Chan (UK)
Design: Alex Walker (UK)
Understandings about our climate have long-existed as embodied experiences and knowledges shared across generations. Together with three visual artists and one science fiction writer Climate Knowledges looks to the past to shape our futures, and we explore alternative ways to think about the truths of the climate crisis.
Through speculative ways of storytelling, from ancient mythologies to futuristic science fictions, we confront the colonial and patriarchal origins, and their exploitative processes, that produced the current climate crisis. Today, we still see the influences of these origins with the appropriation of race, class and gender politics in the mainstream climate debate. Only a reconciliation of these prejudiced histories of climate change can bring about just futures for people of colour.
With Climate Knowledges, the artists’ works collectively resist the injustices that contributed to and sustain climate change. We ask: ‘What constitutes knowledge about climate change?’, ‘Who is in control of producing and sharing information?’, ‘How does this information benefit or compromise marginalised groups?’ Ultimately, the exhibition reevaluates the climate crisis and questions how we got here, where we will be and, critically, who are included in this ‘we’.
The exhibition is programmed by Worm: art+ecology, a long-term curatorial project by Angela Chan that focuses on communicating climate change through contemporary arts practices. As well as workshops and performances by the exhibiting artists, this exhibition establishes a Climate Visual Cultures Library with media from local climate activists.
Virtual Showroom
We also offer a virtual version of Climate Knowledges for those who are interested. This online experience recreates both MAMA’s showroom and Climate Knowledges. Shoutout to Team MAMA members Louisa Teichmann and Noemi Biro for creating this digital space. Preferably use a laptop when accessing the virtual showroom since not all mobile devices are supported yet.
This project is made possible by the International Visitors Programme of Het Nieuwe Instituut with support from the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
29 February / 14:00 – 16:00
Grounds for Concern
Creative research workshop on contested borders by Jessica El Mal.
7 March / 20:00 – 01:00
Opening: Climate Knowledges
During Museumnacht 010, with an additional programme by Team MAMA.
7 March / 23:00 – 04:00 @ Ballroom
Climate Knowledges Afterparty
Organised by Worm: art + ecology with London club night Rani.
29 April / 16:00 – 17:30 @ Online
Online Workshop: Sing-a-Long – A Decolonial Climate Justice
Anti-racism protest workshop led by Chihiro Geuzebroek. Check the event for practicalities!
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Reflections on Making Practices
Workshop on sustainable making manifestoes and practices by Annie Mackinnon.
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I am Nameless
A performance by Josèfa Ntjam.
The Climate Visual Cultures Library is an evolving archive of visual material from campaigns by Indigenous, Black and people of colour climate activists, who organise in the Netherlands. Initiated by Worm: art + ecology together with local activists for Climate Knowledges, the CVC Library extends on the many types of knowledges that shape our understanding, communication and action towards climate change issues.
With contributions so far spanning posters, pamphlets, stickers, texts, song lyrics… and a policy-printed toilet roll, the CVC Library encourages learning, sharing and discussion. It presents the long and ongoing history of the climate justice movement led by Indigenous, Black and people of colour, who show that climate resistances are inseparable from the wider global social justice, human rights and decolonial independence campaigns.
Illustrating the solidarity networks in the Netherlands that are opposed to the racism and whitewashing in the mainstream climate movement, the Climate Visual Cultures Library is a way to maintain Indigenous, Black and people of colour authorship over climate justice stories. The CVC library aims to grow with new contributions and remain hosted in the Netherlands beyond the exhibition run, to document the visual culture of this climate justice movement.
More information on the CVC library on the website of Worm: art+ecology.
Contributors:
Chihiro Geuzebroek (Radical Friends (film, 2014), Shell Must Fall, Climate Liberation Bloc, Aralez)
About HOME
HOME is the leitmotiv by which we encourage conversation about conceptions regarding belonging, representation and identification. HOME is a fundament, the place you return to and anchorpoint for the journey onward. HOME (offline as well as online) is the start of feeling connect to others. Under the name HOME we also present exhibitions in the showroom of MAMA. In collaboration with young makers we express interpretations about HOME | IN REAL LIFE | NETWORKS.
