The power of moving images to communicate climate change
Riccardo Sai
Moving Stories to Connect, Inspire action, Drive Change | Visual Storytelling | Film | Images | Advertising
Richard Mosse's new installation transports you into the heart of the Amazon's ecological red zone
A couple of weeks ago I went to see #BrokenSpectre, a beautiful immersive video
Seeking to overcome the inherent challenges of representing #ClimateChange, this is Mosse’s most ambitious project to date.
As climate change continues to define our era and the future of the planet, Mosse bears witness to a rapidly unfolding catastrophe: recent scientific studies predict that the Amazon is reaching a tipping point, at which point it will no longer be able to generate rain, triggering mass forest dieback and carbon release at devastating levels, impacting climate change, species extinction, and affecting local and international communities.
Mosse shows human sides of the tragedy: from Yanomami and other Indigenous communities fighting for survival; to illegal loggers felling valuable hardwoods; illegal burners clearing primary forest; illegal gold miners poisoning and destroying rivers for tiny handfuls of gold; alongside Brazilian cowboys wilfully burning their pristine surroundings to create pasture for cattle to sell on international meat and leather markets.
The immersive art installation contains large photographs shot with satellite cameras to add beauty and a futuristic look to a grim reality: the disappearance of the jungle, people’s greed and the impact of climate change on local indigenous communities and children.
Part of the exhibition is an impactful 70’ film directed by Richard Mosse, shot by Trevor Tweeten and music by Ben Frost.
The film reminded me of the work of #GodfreyReggio (Koyaanisqatsi (1982), Powaqqatsi (1988), and Naqoyqatsi (2002).
The final piece is a strong emotional multi screen piece of visual storytelling
Time Out Group plc says about the film:
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“That film, damn. It shows the Amazon as a devastated, barren, singed place. And all because of our insatiable greed, nothing else. The film flicks between stark monochrome and deep, hallucinatory colour, it’s dizzying. The sound pounds you relentlessly with deep, chest-rattling bass. It’s incredibly oppressive. The whole thing is brutal, overwhelming, affecting, disgusting, heartbreaking, and utterly brilliant”.
One of the strongest scenes from the film is a single shot scene where a young Yanomami woman shouts at us her bleak reality.
I have found this scene incredibly powerful and raw. It moved me to tears. It’s raw storytelling. It comes from a place of truth. It comes from the heart and it talks to the heart.
The woman talks to us spectators but also to the filmmakers, warning of the danger of using these tragic stories to gain fame and win awards.
This made me think about our integrity as creative people and the importance to:
Rethink our work ethicsand purpose
Choose the clients we work with
To use emotions to talk to the heart of people
Think about the impact of our work. Always.
The woman is begging for help and is asking not only to the filmmakers but to the entire world and to the spectators.
“What are you doing to help us? I am offering you our story to help you to understand. What actions are you taking after you have seen the film?
This is an incredible exhibition and I highly recommend it to anyone who is concerned about climate change and cares for our future. Allow yourself at least two hours to immerse yourself in this world.
You can find more information about Richard Mosse here
More information about the exhibition here
Textiles Sustainability Specialist | Organic Food Growing | Food-Fibre-Fashion Communicator
2yThank you for sharing. Looks like a dramatic and vibrant show. The clip also speaks very true to your concluding point of thinking about the impact of your work, so thanks for including that. How long is the film [the website isn't clear]?
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2yI've always had an affinity for the Amazon and actually learned about the Yanomami tribe many years ago. It really feels like Western countries need to step in and take action. The rainforest shouldn't belong to just one country, not when the impacts of it affect the whole world. The human race will wipe itself out in the end, greed and ignorance will see to that.
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2yWow, how incredibly powerful. The destruction of the rainforest is something that's always bothered me, I think it bothers everyone but nobody really knows how they can help. Listening to that woman was compelling, it makes you want to do something, will it ever be heard by the right people?
Co-Founder @ adaptor | Raising awareness of subjects adjacent to the environmental crisis through animation and motion design
2yWow. Powerful stuff. That clip certainly is moving. Thanks for sharing.
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2yI will be going for sure and so important to keep climate change at the forefront of our daily agendas. thanks and would love to read your article on this--will you be posting it here Riccardo Sai ?