Contemporary Climate:
Environmental and Societal Factors
With our environmental and social crisis, environmental, feminist and ecological art is more relevant in contemporary times than ever. It is important that such art is created alongside global environmental movements such as ‘Extinction Rebellion’ and contemporary environmental activists (e.g. Greta Thunberg). This puts into context the contemporary relevance of ecofeminist, botanical art in the 21st Century; (as we tackle Amazonian/Australian bush fires, UK flooding and the oppressive heatwave hitting from the Pacific Northwest to parts of Europe and North Africa.
Visitors at the Colosseum in Rome cool off in front of a fan, 12/08/2021
Australian Bushfires, 2019
Although less conservative than during O’Keeffe’s era, a ‘Capitalist, Patriarchal Eurocentric Society’ still remains today; with a need to address issues surrounding arranged marriage honour killings and male grooming, (sexual abusers producer Harvey Weinstein and financer Jeffrey Epstein for example). With social and environmental issues still prevalent, the work of environmental artists has helped reduce the impact and repercussions women and the environment face today. Their work has therefore been integral to the development of ecological, environmental and feminist art and to its contemporary position in our current art scene.
Harvey Weinstein arrives at a Manhattan courthouse in February 2020.