If You Need Art to Act by the artist Analize Nicolini was created with the intention of raising awareness about eco-sustainability, emphasizing practices and lifestyles that minimize environmental impact and preserve natural resources for future generations. The work arose from the urgent need to address the environmental and social consequences of unsustainable practices, both individual and collective, that exacerbate disasters and conditions in which the right to human dignity is clearly violated.
The performance was designed for the public space, outdoors, as a disruptive gesture of everyday life. For its first action, Analize chose a symbolic public place in Lisbon, the Largo do Carmo, creating a deeper connection with the city and its people. She used acrylic paint on trash cans from well-known consumer brands like IKEA and Zara Home to symbolize the role of consumer choices in environmental impact. With this gesture, the artist aimed to raise individuals' awareness of their environmental duties, encouraging them to reflect on their role in the global environmental landscape.
Eco-sustainability is a prominent theme, and increasingly, contemporary artists are addressing issues such as climate change in their works, collaborating with scientists and activists to promote environmental awareness and make real contributions to life on this planet. They have the capacity to redefine the meanings of reality and transform institutional structures in symbolic, ethical, political, and aesthetic ways.
Marella Pomponio
Curator
