Ecoartivism in Times of Climate Change and Toxic Waste Emergencies: A Theoretical Perspective through the Lens of ziREjA's Photography and Performance Art

Abstract

Ecological art brings together artists, scientists, philosophers, and activists who work in a collaboratively on restoration, remediation, and public awareness projects (Weintraub 2006). [...]we can state that ziREjA's art productions engage with both of these concepts, especially if we consider her commitment to positive environmental changes and the promotion of public awareness. Artists like ziREjA, that are considered to be working within the field of Ecological Art, follow specific principals: they create art that utilizes natural materials or environmental sources such as rain, sunlight, wind, etc.; restore, repair, and reclaim endangered environments, inform the general public about ecological dynamic and issues; and try to creatively reclaim ecological relationship and sustainable solutions for the healing of our planet (Lippard 2007; Fournier 2010). With the passing of the years, the situation worsened, leading during the last decades of the industrialization period to the creation of a mainstream political and social theme. [...]contemporary artists felt the need to participate in the discussions and create an artistic response to these global planetary concerns. In general, it can be stated that this agglomerate of voices agrees with referring to ecology as the defense and protection of the environment, resorting to a field of blurred borders in which classic concepts such as land ethics, conservation, recycling, and reuse, ecological citizenship, environmental security, environmental governance bridge with more recent conceptualizations such as sustainability approaches to everyday life and the notions of eco-efficiency, ecosystem, biodiversity, and self-regulation.