Art in the Arctic: ACDI Masters student’s journey
By Alicia Okeyo
After eight years of promoting innovative solutions to developmental challenges, the Arctic Frontiers Conference and its integrated Young Scientist Forum, returns once more to the Norwegian University of Tromsø. The Arctic Frontiers Conference, an internationally acclaimed event on sustainability in the Arctic, has been known to facilitate interdisciplinary networking among scientific professionals, and to offer a platform for discussions on the cultural and context-specific technical developmental challenges of the Arctic region. The ninth annual Arctic Frontiers’ section on Climate and Energy features themes such as ‘Arctic climate change: global implications” and “The Arctic’s role in the global energy supply and security’. Additionally, the Arctic Frontiers Conference has designed their Young Scientist Forum to allow young researchers to be included in the conference. It allows for discussions around common challenges and needs, raising awareness for and contributing to sustainable development to combat these challenges.
The ACDI is proud to have one of our own young researchers taking part in the Arctic Frontiers Conference. Katrine Claassens; an ACDI Masters student in the MPhil Climate Change and Sustainable Development programme, has recently been selected to present at the ten-day conference during 18th to 28th January, 2015.
Who is Katrine Claassens?
South African born Katrine Claassens grew up in Cape Town for most of her childhood and is blessed with a large, close-knit family. She praises her grandparents for nurturing in her the love for archaeology, hiking, travelling (to places such as Quebec and France), and most importantly, her love for art. The latter was the stepping stone that lead to an academic journey rich with creative finesse and artistry in her undergraduate studies. Stemming from her childhood love for art, Claassens decided to peruse a Visual Arts degree at the University of Stellenbosch, which she boasts was an invaluable experience, despite the misconceptions about the usefulness of a degree in the arts that society perpetuates. “For me, the degree afforded the chance to be constantly challenged academically and personally, resulting in developed critical thinking skills which have been invaluable in my further studies,” she said.
The ACDI Masters programme
The transition from Visual Arts to the ACDI Masters programme was perhaps preluded by Claassens’ interest in Biology as a child, which she decided not to pursue academically, in favour of her studies in Visual Arts. Claassens was initially attracted to the ACDI masters programme’s dynamic ability to promote an interdisciplinary response to climate change and development. She wished to use this master’s as platform to acquire the necessary training and deeper knowledge to inform more meaningful social engagement on issues pertaining to climate change. According to her, “it took a lot of work to get into the course; I knew there would be reservations about accepting an artist onto the course and that they did is a true demonstration of the ACDI’s commitment to integrating the disciplines.”
The transition from a Visual Arts background to traipsing the halls of the Environmental and Geographical Science building (UCT) was also prompted by her last solo art exhibition in 2013 at The Association for Visual Arts (AVA) Gallery entitled Blue Swimming Pools (see more about exhibition here). Claassens says this exhibition provided the stepping stone towards her current direction, as the paintings were themed around the apathy and indifference, often prevalent in personal, political and environmental spaces, towards the encroachment of suburbs (complete with their blue swimming pools) on natural landscapes, and the expansion of “Centres of Consumption” in these spaces. Such an exhibition of artistic work describes very accurately the process of climate change in developing areas such as in Africa; a coincidence that occurred before Claassens had ever decided to enrol into the master’s programme.
Claassens realised that although the African continent has contributed least to the causes of climate change, we undoubtedly suffer most from its effects; made vulnerable to the exacerbation of high levels of poverty and underdevelopment. Importantly, Claassens came to the realisation that Africa is uniquely positioned to propel the adaptation and mitigation of climate change effects. Thus, a new calling emerged as a fresh interest for Claassens. “After the exhibition and a stint doing tree-planting work in Zambia with the environmental organisation Greenpop, I decided to repurpose my life and applied for the ACDI Masters programme,” she said.
Tromsø Norway via the Arctic:
Although the transition into the ACDI masters was a challenging one, Claassens was determined to merge both her interests in Visual Arts and Climate Change through her research on “The dangers and risks present in the visual communication of climate change”. A particular focus area of her research is on “How and why the Arctic has become the emblem of global climate change”, which will be the topic of her presentation at the Artic Frontiers Conference in Tromsø, Norway. “Much of the narrative of climate change is mediated through this region, and as such the Arctic is fundamental in creating dialogue and meeting points for climate change knowledge,” she added.
Claassens is revelling in this tremendous opportunity not only to visit Norway and feed her interest in travel, but also to present her creative take on climate change and development in the Artic. She is grateful for the opportunity to engage with scientists, policy-makers and businesses, and to debate solutions to complex environmental and political problems. “Like the ACDI course, this integrated approach excites me!”
Despite the grave challenges presented by climate change; with its vast unpredictability, complexity, and its solutions often unclear, it is comforting to know that young professionals like Katrine Claassens (among many others), are dedicating their research and personal lives to raising awareness and debating adaptive strategies to aid the future fight against climate change. This will ultimately require a greater and greater collective of diverse individuals, with a variety of skills and expertise working together on addressing the dynamic problems. Katrine Claassens’s story; as artist, traveller and now scientific researcher is proof that anyone can join the debate, engage with the world through a variety of platforms, and offer their talents to make a difference.