Social and Ecological Issues in the Works of Some Contemporary Sculptors

Abstract

Ecology in social or human terms owes its stability to man's activities on the earth planet. In the mainstream of modern art, different visual artists have produced notable works that explore either social or ecological concerns, most of which revolve around issues of climate change. This paper analyses some sculptures and installations created by Quayola Alastair Noble, Jin Soo Kim, El Anatsui, Ekenechukwu Anikpe, Amarachi Okafor and Johnpaul Ezeugwu, which in different ways refer directly or indirectly to global warming. It discusses how their works provoke relevant questions or proffer solutions to problems associated with social and ecological stratification. The paper concludes that the artists have employed their art as a tool for mass orientation on the implications of undermining the natural rhythm of the earth.

Keywords: Climate Change, Quayola Alastair Noble, Jin Soo Kim, El Anatsui, Ekenechukwu Anikpe, Amarachi Okafor, Johnpaul Ezeugwu