Image above: AFM Moniruzzaman ’Shipu’, Life on the GE Raft, 2023, AR, Print on Canvas, 48” x 32”.
.
Image below: Debashish Chakrabarty, Periphery’s Echo – 1, 2023, Mixed Media, Print on Canvas, 32” x 48”.
.
Electric Bangladesh: Fossil Free Futures
In the context of the Climate Emergency, CLIMARTE was proud to partner with Market Forces to present an exhibition of artwork at The Foundry’s The Point Gallery in Cambridge, Massachusetts from 1 – 4 August 2023.
Curated by Zaid Islam, and located very close to the headquarters of General Electric’s (GE) new energy business GE Vernova, Electric Bangladesh: Fossil Free Futures was an exhibition of work by five Bangladeshi artists calling on the energy giant to stop pushing new deadly fossil fuel projects in Bangladesh.
The artworks depict the people of Bangladesh and their resilience as they grapple with the compounding impacts of the climate and biodiversity crises and ecocidal fossil fuel projects.
By exposing greenwashing tactics used by GE Vernova, the exhibition shone a spotlight on the corporation’s dangerous plans to force new highly polluting LNG power plants on vulnerable Bangladeshi communities already disproportionately affected by a dangerously warming climate and severely degraded ecosystems.
The artwork in this exhibition called for a safe and secure future, one powered by innovative zero emission technologies like wind power that GE Vernova more than has the capacity to deliver.
Artists: Monica Jahan Bose, Debashish Chakrabarty, Morshed Mishu, Ata Mojlish and AFM Moniruzzaman ’Shipu’. Curator: Zaid Islam.
Exhibition details:
Where: The Point Gallery, The Foundry, 101 Rogers St, Cambridge, USA
When: 1 – 4 August 2023, 4 – 8pm
Gallery Works list here >
Artists Statements here >
Exhibition Statement here >
Read a Review by MIT Atmospheric Scientist Kane Adam Stone here >
Reception & Public discussion with Artists
On 2 August 2023 artists Monica Jahan Bose, and Ata Mojlish joined curator Zaid Islam and around 80 people at The Point gallery from 5 – 8pm.
Artists told their stories, talked about their work, and why they participated in this project before taking part in a Q&A session.
Global Media
This highly strategic creative collaboration attracted significant global media attention. You can access more than a dozen features and articles through our Media Report, click here.
Presenting the 'Electric Bangladesh: Fossil Free Futures' Collection at General Electric's new global HQ in Boston.
International Day of the Artist, 25 October 2023, was a timely moment for prominent Bangladeshi artists and climate activists to deliver our specially curated collection of climate change-themed artwork.
From left, environment defender Thahitun Miriam and artist Ata Mojish are stopped by security as they enter the One Financial Center building lobby in an attempt to deliver original works of art to GE Executives. The action was part of a months long campaign to pressure GE and top investors to pull their money from a LNG facility planned for Coastal Bangladesh.
Images courtesy of Josh Reynolds/AP Images for Glasgow Actions Team.
Electric Bangladesh: Fossil Free Futures is proudly presented by CLIMARTE and commissioned by Market Forces.