Business As Usual, Climate Crisis Exhibition
I organised and curated a 20-artist group exhibition, Business as usual (2020). Throughout this period I was communicating with the artists and negotiating with the artistic director of the gallery, whilst also publicising and organising the show which was a challenge I embraced wholeheartedly.
Press release:
BUSINESS AS USUAL: an exhibition in times of climate crisis.
January 25th to February 8th 2020
The Crossley Gallery
Dean Clough Mills
Halifax HX3 5AX
Young emerging artists respond to climate crisis
Tom Alexander curates a ‘pop-up’ exhibition dealing with the urgent need for change in a
world heading towards the 6th mass extinction. Mounted with the support of the Arts
Charity at Dean Clough (ACDC).
Despite the global evidence that ranges from shrinking ice caps to storms, floods and forest
fires; and despite the growth of environmental justice groups such as Extinction Rebellion,
the climate emergency still seems less urgent to those in power than to the younger
generation.
‘Business as Usual’ sees selected graduate artists tackle themes such as:-
• Food waste
• Excess consumerism
• Pollution, especially in non-visible ecosystems
• Eco anxiety, grief and despair
• Unity and people power
More subtle - yet arguably more trenchant - aspects of the debate are also featured in the
show, such as: the need for education; the effect of linguistics, and the harmful nature of ‘art
as commodity’ vs. ‘sustainable art’.
Tom Alexander (then studying at Camberwell School of Art) was encouraged to instigate
‘Business as Usual’ at the 2019 Easter ‘Studio Artists Open Day’ at Dean Clough Mills.
“The artists were really supportive about the idea of a show by up-coming graduates that
sought to reverse climate change,” says Tom.
After graduating last July, Tom obtained commitments from some 20 graduate and student
artists and proposed an exhibition to Dean Clough’s arts director, Vic Allen, who scheduled
the exhibition at once.
“It’s flattering really,” said Vic. “This is THE topic of our times and these are the people most
eligible to complain about the world they are inheriting”
