"One Neo Eon" is a curated exhibition about Eco-Art and Eco-Materalism as a fulfillment of the requirements for the Gallery Management class, Yangjie "Eggy" Zhang. These works were created by other students and professionals who are examining our impact on the environment and ways we can do better.
Curatorial Statement:
Climate change and pollution are serious concerns. Although the state of the environment has infiltrated contemporary culture in areas like the construction of our buildings, transportation, food, clothing, and personal and corporate waste, there is still room for improvement in other areas of life.
We need to examine the environmental impact of our artistic and curatorial practices. Many materials and tools used for the making, packing, shipping, storing, display, and preservation of works of art are made of single-use materials. The arts still have a large carbon footprint. These circumstances have inspired many in the field of Eco Materialism, also known as Eco-Art. According to eco-art.org, Eco-Art is ecological art with a purpose, which is created by artists who are concerned with the state of both local and global environmental situations. This genre is growing rapidly with creatives and curators choosing between conformity and innovation. Photography and paintings that address environmental problems are also part of the eco-art movement.
The exhibition title, One Neo Eon is based on the Eon sustainable art program I founded in Shanghai a year ago. Through this exhibition, I seek to track the recent history of these environmental issues and consider imaginative ways to achieve sustainability in arts. One Neo Eon emerges as a study of eco-friendliness concerned about local and global environmental situations. This group of artists, filmmakers, graphic designers, and brand builders explore the deepening relationship between contemporary art and notions of environmental sustainability.