The Cabot Institute for the Environment at the University of Bristol hired Ms. Thompson, a Montpelier native. Twenty drawings were created by the Bristol-based illustrator and designer Jasmine Thompson, 28, in advance of the UN’s COP27 summit, which is now taking place in Egypt.
In addition to conveying messages to their leaders at the meeting, the drawings share people’s experiences with climate change. Expressing concerns through art is a fantastic way to reach a global audience.
She drew on comments from attendees of public spaces at the COP26 conference in Glasgow the previous year. Conservation, biodiversity, unified action, urgency, and the inclusion of underrepresented perspectives are some of the subjects covered.
The climate catastrophe is now becoming more personal, and everyone is becoming more aware of and concerned about its far-reaching effects, according to Ms. Thompson. She continued, “I hope the drawings speak to people of all ages and motivate people to consider the future and what we can do to start changing things today.”
Another Bristol artist who participated in the project was Andy Council. A city filled with trees and greenery, people strolling or cycling, and structures with solar panels are how he imagined Bristol may appear in 2030. “A green transition must happen, so it was great being part of this project,” he continued.
Dr. Alix Dietzel, a senior lecturer at the University of Bristol, commissioned the experiment. “Hope for a better future lies at the core of our idea,” he expressed.
The artwork will be displayed in the university’s Richmond Building from November 15 through November 18, 2022, and shared on social media with the tagline “Every Voice Matters.”