Conference “Art and Sustainable Development

Sustainable Energy Week, European Union, 11-15 April 2011.
Belgium – Brussels

Event date: 13 April 2011
Organizer: Solar Solidarity International
Other organization(s): World Interviews

This conference will bring together speakers who will present their projects or achievements combining art and sustainable development. Actors of the art scene and the energy world will bring their testimony and will stimulate thoughts and a debate on this topic.

The Speakers:

Alexandre Dang

Introduction to the presentation:

The energy coming from the sun and hitting the earth represents 10 000 times the energy need of mankind. Sun energy represents hence a huge potential. However, currently, 1,7 billion people still have no access to electricity: there is a huge need of energy to satisfy. Bridging the gap between the huge potential of renewable energies and the enormous energy need of mankind appears to be a key issue. http://solarsolidarity.org/

Bio:

Alexandre Dang is an artist committed towards raising awareness on sustainable development issues and on the potential of renewable sources of energy. He developed his artistic creation by incorporating solar energy as the power source of his kinetic art works. Alexandre Dang supports and collaborates with Solar Solidarity International (a non-profit international association) which aims at communicating on the potential of renewable sources of energy through exhibitions and at raising funds to support solar electrification projects in the developing countries.

Lauranne Germond (COAL)

Introduction to the presentation:

COAL, “coalition pour l’art et le développement durable” (coalition for art and sustainable development) created in France in 2008 is a professional association which brings together contemporary art, sustainable development and research. COAL supports the key role of creation and culture in the awareness and the implementation of practical solutions. It also contributes through its activities to the emergence of a culture of ecology. COAL promotes the integration of the artist within a network of stakeholders focusing on the current societal and environmental issues and acts via the launch of calls for projects, events, exhibitions, publications, in collaboration with artists, scientists, cultural institutions, NGOs, communities and businesses. COAL is also a platform of awareness, information and enables linking the world of art with ecology, which provides scientific and bibliographic references and views on current art in relation to ecology and sustainable development. COAL also created the price COAL & art environment. www.projetcoal.org

Bio:

Lauranne Germond is co-founder of COAL, curator specialized in Sustainable Development (Eclaircies, Le Quai – Forum des Arts Vivants, Angers, Summer 2010, Résilience, Espace d’Art Contemporain La Tôlerie, Clermont-Ferrand summer 2010, Naturel Brut, art and biodiversity, Paris, Spring 2010 for WWF and parks and gardens of Paris, Panorama, Salon 1.618/Palais de Tokyo, Paris, Spring 2010) She was previously partner and co-director of NUKE, autoportrait de la génération polluée, design magazine and art gallery. She co-organized with Alice Audouin the symposium “l’Artiste comme partie prenante” in 2004 at UNESCO. She graduated in art history and museology at the Ecole du Louvre.

Thi Thanh Tran (Art & Planet Gallery)

Introduction to the presentation “Art & Planet Gallery”:

Art & Planète is an independent, ecological, cultural, artistic and non-religious non-profit association. Our actions concentrate mainly on support for artists, consciousness-raising in fair trade, international solidarity and job creating. Since its beginning in 2007, the association has built an international network between artists and main players in environment protection. Art & Planète is the platform where the art world and ecology come together and organize communal projects. http://www.artetplanete.com/

Bio:

Ms. Tran Thi Thanh graduated in History; she currently works in audiovisual production. A founder member of the non-profit organization, she is in charge of coordinating international activities for the organization.

Nacho Zamora

Introduction to the presentation “Solar Artworks”:

“Solar Artworks” combines art, architecture, design, science, and a common objective: how to make our cities more sustainable through public art. We can find solar artworks in different parts of the world, and their creators generally are multidisciplinary groups of specialists. In this conference we will see some of the most interesting examples of solar artworks studied in the frame of “Solar Artworks” to date, in particular how different the projects can be, and why they have been created. http://www.solarartworks.com/

Bio:

Nacho Zamora is a Spanish art researcher who has curated an international presentation and exhibition of solar artworks: renewable energy-focused technology, art and design. Licensed in Fine Arts at the University of Murcia (Spain), he specialized in public art for a Master of Artistic Production at the Polytechnic University of Valencia (Spain). Nacho Zamora is currently working on a Doctoral Dissertation titled “Solar Artworks”. The goal of this project is to compile a complete report about solar artworks and their creators. All work is based on theoretical concepts of public art and sustainability.

Where and when?
Address:
RondPoint Schuman 14
Brittany Europe Delegation
Brussels
Belgium

Event date:
13 April 2011
18:00 to 19:30