Paper short abstract:

This paper examines the aesthetic and cognitive strategies artists use to broadcast the impact of the Anthropocene in an attempt to elicit panic in the hope of rescuing the Earths systems that sustain all forms of life on this small plant.

Paper long abstract:

The causes of the Anthropocene have been building for centuries and they are largely known. These causes are firmly entwined in the fabric of society and our lifestyle expectations, therefore, it is not surprising that two decades of facts and warnings from climate scientists have done little to motivate people tact to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Artists, poets and play writers have joined the clarion call from climate communication sciences to disseminate information about climate change in a manner that is culturally appropriate, contains visual and narrative forms and uses emotive content to generate awareness, reflection and potentially to effect behavioural change. Artists including myself may feel a sense of panic when we learn of the devastating impacts of the Anthropocene such as humans consuming 11,000 microfibers per year from mussel's and 200 species being lost to extinction each day. In addition to felling panic some artists seek to generate concern amongst the audience of their work. This paper examines the aesthetic and cognitive strategies artists use to broadcast the impact of the Anthropocene in an attempt to elicit panic in the hope of rescuing the Earths systems that sustain all forms of life on this small plant.