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2021 VIRTUAL SUMMIT
RESOURCE HUNGRY
29—30 JANUARY
Closing Film, 2021 Verbier Art Summit | Video by Crossmark | 20:36 mins
To celebrate the Verbier Art Summit’s fifth anniversary, the Summit launched a new virtual platform and invited leading artists and thinkers from all over the world to deepen debate on:
RESOURCE HUNGRY
OUR CULTURED LANDSCAPE AND ITS ECOLOGICAL IMPACT
The open and participative online programme featured three new talks by Claudia Comte, Tom Battin and Naine Terena, as well as five new debates from Beijing, Verbier, New York, São Paulo and London, and a special artist residency debate.
Each debate and talk was streamed live on the Summit’s virtual platform as well as on the Summit’s social media channels. A live 10 mins Q&A session with the panelists followed each debate. All debates and talks can now be viewed on demand in our platform.
RESOURCE HUNGRY QUESTIONS
Jessica Morgan, the Summit’s 2020 partnering museum director of the Dia Art Foundation in New York, reflects back on the theme Resource Hungry, stating:
"It took a virus to halt aspects of our culture that were destroying the environment. Now is the moment to reflect on how we can evolve in response to the questions posed at the 2020 Verbier Art Summit..."
Can we learn from the light touch and holistic thinking of indigenous cultures that have cared for the land for generations?
Can we reassess the spaces, habits, structures, and systems of culture to find new ways to operate and new ways to experience?
Can we rethink our values?
If you are interested in learning more about the Summit’s theme, the accompanying publication Resource Hungry: Our Cultured Landscape and its Ecological Impact edited by Jessica Morgan and Dorothea von Hantelmann, designed by Irma Boom and distributed by Koenig Books London, is now available to purchase in specialty art book stores, museum shops and online.
RESOURCE HUNGRY TALKS
Claudia Comte discussed her recent practice and interest in ocean and marine life, which has become a recurring subject in her work. Claudia is a Swiss contemporary artist known for her use of natural materials in her mixed media installations and her interest in ecological conservation.
Tom Battin disclosed and unfolded some of the unseen life in the rivers that drain the roof of our planet, today threatened by climate change more than any other ecosystem on Earth. Tom is a Full Professor of Environmental Sciences at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL).
Naine Terena who discussed her recent practice and looked back on the year 2020 and its consequences in the Amazon. Naine is an indigenous artist and educator from Brazil who shares the struggle for representation of indigenous narratives in global dialogues.
The virtual platform also featured former speakers such as Olafur Eliasson, Rirkrit Tiravanija and Joan Jonas who shared their knowledge again around the social issues discussed at the previous Summits: (de)Growth (2017), the Digital Age (2018), Multiple Truths (2019) and Ecology (2020).
2021 SWISS SPEAKERS
Head of the Directorate for Cultural and Social Affairs at the Federation of Migros Cooperatives, Zurich
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RESOURCE HUNGRY ACTION
The 2021 Summit aimed to inspire all participants to take action around the Resource Hungry theme by creating a "Pledge Card". First, by selecting your preferred statement I, DRIVE SOCIAL CHANGE THROUGH..., then including your photo and adding an inspirational quote. The 2021 Summit team including all international speakers have already committed, will you join them?
You can still make your pledge card here.
The virtual Summit also showcased art and ecological inspiration by the Summit partners and international Members: art works, talks, performances, podcasts, books and workshops.
