The Ship: The Art of Climate Change

Natural History Museum, London

3 June - 3 September 2006

A collaboration with the Natural History Museum

Heather Ackroyd & Dan Harvey, Kathy Barber, David Buckland, Peter Clegg, Siobhan Davies, Gautier Deblonde, Max Eastley, Nick Edwards, Gretel Ehrlich, Antony Gormley, Alex Hartley, David Hinton, Gary Hume, Ian McEwan, Michèle Noach

On 3 June 2006, the Natural History Museum, in collaboration with Cape Farewell presented The Ship: The Art of Climate Change, a free exhibition of contemporary art designed to deepen our understanding of climate change. Shown in the museum's Jerwood Gallery, The Ship offered a unique insight into the experiences of international artists and writers who, over the past five years, have travelled to the High Arctic as part of the Cape Farewell project.

"Articles on climate change appear almost daily in the newspapers, and on television and it can appear that such issues are beyond our control," says Bergit Arends, Art Curator at the Natural History Museum, "This is why we are trying to use the personal experiences of renowned artists, and the creative vocabulary of art rather than science, to raise an awareness that everyone individually can help alleviate the impacts of climate change."

Through photography, film and video, sound and painting each artwork is a personal response to the effects of changing weather patterns, disappearing ice, rising sea levels, alterations in biodiversity and the build-up of toxic chemicals in the seemingly pristine landscape of the Arctic.

A 16-page tabloid-sized newspaper accompanied The Ship with information on Cape Farewell, artists' biographies, essays on the science of climate change and a 'call to action' encouraging everyone to reduce their carbon usage.

In conjunction with the exhibition Student Summit 2006: Climate Change took place between 11-14 July, a conference aimed at improving awareness and inspiring advocacy in young adults (age 16-18). Key speakers included Sir David King (the Government's Chief Scientific Adviser), Nicky Gavron, Deputy Mayor for London and Jonathon Porritt (Programme Director of Forum for the Future and Chairman of the UK Sustainable Development Commission), who were joined by artists, scientists and policy makers exploring climate change and its social and global implications.

Published by Cape Farewell to accompany The Ship exhibition, Burning Ice: Art and Climate Change is a 176-page publication comprising nearly 200 stunning colour photographs and illustrations. The book charts the experiences of artists who have voyaged with Cape Farewell including Heather Ackroyd & Dan Harvey, David Buckland, Siobhan Davies, Gautier Deblonde, and Max Eastley, and the work they have subsequently produced. Extracts from expedition journals complement writings by novelists Ian McEwan and Robert Macfarlane warning of the impacts of climate change.

Burning Ice: Art and Climate Change also features essays from leading scientists, advisers and other specialists on climate change, energy efficiency, ocean science and carbon trading. Contributors include Professor Sir David King, Chief Scientific Adviser to H.M. Government; Professor H J Schellnhuber, Director Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research; Dr Valborg Byfield, Oceanographer, National Oceanography Centre and Charlie Kronick, Chief Policy Adviser & Leader, Climate Change Campaign, Greenpeace UK. Priced £19.99 the publication will be available from the Natural History Museum bookshop and York Publishing Services Ltd on 01904 431213 (from 1st June).

The Ship was presented in collaboration with the Natural History Museum and was made possible with support from Arts Council England, Cape Farewell's major arts funder. Also supported by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, The Bromley Trust, Toshiba, IXOS and plusequals, and our partners in Madrid, Fundación Canal.