The current exhibition at the Barbican, ‘Our Time on Earth’, explores the importance of humans’ connection to other species, a connection we have seemingly lost. Radical and immersive, it investigates the issue of the climate crisis, suggesting that a solution lies in rebalancing the earth’s ecosystem. Interconnecting technology and Indigenous ways of life, ‘Our Time on Earth’ highlights the importance of creating designs that benefit not only humans but all beings.
A striking and key point of the show is the idea of turning to Indigenous communities in this search for environmental balance. Indeed, Indigenous communities have lived in balance with their environment, an equilibrium that is often wrecked by the West. Symbiocene exposes how Indigenous technologies are vital, both in understanding and responding to the climate crisis.
An interesting aspect of this exhibition is how they made learning and awareness fun. While the show is about the climate emergency, a pretty grim message, the show managed to bring this awareness in a fun and interactive way. Indeed, in Queer Ecology, a piece by Colombian biologist Brigitte Baptiste and the Institute of Digital Fashion that hints at what humans can learn from nature’s gender fluidity, visitors witness their identity being turned into matter that follows their movement. Sharing Prosperity, an interactive gaming experience, shows the visitors the importance of the planet’s ecosystem, each bond between beings required for them to strive.
Towards the end of The Curve, is Stories of Change by The Earth Issue, a series of screens, each portraying different videos are tightly packed together. Needless to say that it was difficult to understand or watch any of these videos. Although being overwhelming might be the intended effect, I personally thought it was a shame, as each video had its own important message to convey but that was ruined by the constant overlapping of other sounds. Moreover, the screens and videos were often displayed on small screens or in small spaces, making it impossible for visitors to enjoy them properly when there were more than four people occupying the space.
In the Pit, visitors can find the Noise Aquarium, created by US artist Victoria Vesna and Austrian collaborators. The animation recounts the experience of Plankton in noise pollution. Being overwhelmingly loud and inducing a certain kind of anxiety in the spectators, the Noise Aquarium serves its purpose well.
By bringing immersive and interactive installations to the climate emergency conversation, ‘Our Time on Earth’ creates an interesting environment to explore the different ways in which humans can reconnect with nature, a key element to our response to the climate emergency. The exhibition remains at the Barbican until August 29, 2022.
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