Art in the Age of the Anthropocene

The book accompanies the exhibition Art in the Age of the Anthropocene at the Kumu Art Museum (05.05.–08.10.2023).

This book and the exhibition focus on the role of art in the age of the Anthropocene. We approach the subject from three perspectives: art history, contemporary art and sustainable exhibition practices. What has been the role of art and visual culture in representing, but also in controlling, shaping and using the environment, in Estonia? How should contemporary art react to environmental concerns: only by mediating the research findings of scientists? Where should we draw the boundaries between art and (citizen) science, or between art and activism? Do we need these boundaries at all?

The book opens new perspectives on the relationship between art and the environment and examines how artists have related to environmental and sustainability issues both in the past and in the present. The book contains articles by experts in various fields, close analyses of artworks, and interviews with artists and designers.