Green Hazard | Earth Day
Josh Tonies, Green Hazard, 2020. Animation still. Courtesy of the artist.
In honor of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, 1805 Gallery is working with the Porto Vista Hotel in 2020 on art programming that explores the critical concept of Climate Change.
Due to the current health crisis, Green Hazard featuring Josh Tonies’ new multi-channel animation film that examines the environmental impact of golf courses will be postponed to June 2020. We look forward to sharing Tonie’s animations that navigate expansive golf courses digitally rendered from USGS and NASA topographic maps. Green Hazard calls attention to the social, political and ecological tensions that surround golf resorts.
As the Coronavirus crisis unfolds, it is clear to see the parallels between the pandemic and the climate crisis. For the last decade, we have continued to brush off warnings from scientific experts around the world. Over 11,000 scientists from 153 countries have declared a global “climate emergency”. Scientific studies confirm that the Earth is warming due to human activities which will lead to extreme weather disasters and immense “human suffering”. According to a report released by the United Nations on May 6, 2019, “1 million animals and plant species are now threatened with extinction, many within decades, more than ever before in human history.” Scientists urge global citizens to work together to positively transform the way in which we engage the natural world and avoid a climate catastrophe.
With billions of individuals isolating at home during this pandemic, pollution and human activity have dramatically decreased throughout the world. This has prompted dolphins to return to the canals of Venice, Italy, and the thick smog that once blanketed the skies of India to dissipate revealing the Himalayan Mountains on the horizon for the first time in 30 years. Images of nature flourishing are emerging and reinforcing the belief that there is still time to act when it comes to climate change.
Although this crisis has revealed the negative impact of our economic activities and the massive toll on the health and safety of all beings on this planet, it has also illuminated the fact that individual action and global coordination can drive significant change.
Please visit the following resources for more information on how to positively impact the planet.
How to reduce your carbon footprint:
https://www.nytimes.com/guides/year-of-living-better/how-to-reduce-your-carbon-footprint
How you can stop Global Warming:
https://www.nrdc.org/stories/how-you-can-stop-global-warming
Climate Change Research:
https://founderspledge.com/research/fp-climate-change
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/10/opinion/sunday/how-to-help-climate-change.html
Follow 1805 Gallery and Porto Vista Hotel to learn more about the diverse artists exploring climate change.
Featured Artist: Josh Tonies
Josh Tonies is an artist who works with drawing and the moving image. His work centers around temporary ecological studies that take form as animation, drawing, works on paper and book arts. He is a lecturer on record at the University of San Diego and UC San Diego, teaching courses in film, video art, animation, and studio arts. He has exhibited his work most recently at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, Musée d’Art Contemporain de Montréal, The Center for Fiction in NYC, Comfort Station in Chicago Illinois and the San Diego Museum of Art.
Porto Vista Hotel
As a small family-run business, Porto Vista Hotel knows the importance of family and protecting the health of loved ones. Amid the pandemic, all of our lives have changed dramatically and in accordance with California’s executive order to stay home the best way to get through this difficult time is to remain separated from the ones we love. The well-being of our guests, as well as our staff, is always our top priority, and we are continuing to look for ways to support and serve the community. With many individuals returning home to San Diego in need of a space to isolate or those simply needing to social distance away from home, we have decided to stay open to provide a clean and comfortable space for patrons to stay safe. Until you are able to go home, we are offering special room rates for short and long term stays. We are committed to taking proper health precautions and are closely monitoring guidance from public health officials with increased sanitation measures taken throughout our property.