Co-curator Marcia Annenberg, M&A ’66, is happy to announce the opening of the exhibit EARTH SOS at the Flomenhaft Gallery in Chelsea. The goal of this exhibition is to present art that alerts the public and to celebrate the 178 countries who signed the Paris Climate Treaty in 2016.  The works on view are by 15 artists who are passionate about the degradation of our environment and the future for us and generations yet unborn. Together we are combining our efforts and struggling to save us all from an ecological apocalypse.

What threats do our artists address in their work?  Their commitments to the ravages of our planet include climate warming by carbon dioxide derived from fuel emissions, melting glaciers, and rising sea levels. Our sea levels are rising so dangerously that increased coastal floods are eroding our coastlines. Pollution and global warming have also decimated our coral reefs.  This has created a serious economic problem for people who depend on fishing for their livelihood.  Additionally, the marine life that is endangered will not be available for the higher food chain predators such as sharks and whales.  Further, our waterways have been polluted so badly that the population, especially our children and pregnant women, is being poisoned by rust, plastics, cast off drugs, coal tar wastes, and heavy metals such as mercury. Our forests are being ravaged by deforestation which contributes to climate change. Trees act as a natural carbon sink, removing carbon dioxide through photosynthesis.  Discarded clothes and other kinds of trash including plastics, solvents and lubricants are filling our landfills, releasing more carbon dioxide as they disintegrate. These are some of the concerns that our artists have addressed in their work.