Citizens can delve deep into the topic of climate change while viewing a thought-provoking exhibit and documentary in a curatorial tour this weekend.
In an event titled The Art of Climate Change, Jaime-Brett Sine, Okotoks culture and heritage programmer, will lead a tour through the To What Degree? Canada in a Changing Climate exhibit at the Okotoks Art Gallery before screening the documentary Before the Flood at the Rotary Performing Arts Centre.
The event takes place May 3 starting at 6:30 p.m.
“Climate change is certainly on everyone’s mind,” said Sine. “It’s important that we bring in these wonderful educational exhibitions to people locally so that you don’t have to travel far to have access to this information.
“When the topic is relevant to people in the area they’re going to be eager to experience it.”
To What Degree? Canada in a Changing Climate is a partnership of Canadian Geographic and the Government of Canada and lends itself to more exploration of the topic of climate change, said Sine.
“The exhibition has information on climate change, especially told through the stories of people and ecosystems like ways people are adapting to changes in the climate across Canada,” said Sine. “Some of those ways are quite unique but obviously speaking to a lot of relevant issues like forest fires that always come up in the summer. It’s a very educational exhibition.”
Although text heavy, Sine said the exhibit brings about interesting conversations in a topic that speaks to people across Canada, especially in communities like Okotoks that prides itself on environmentalism.
“It’s a really great exhibition to get in a smaller community like Okotoks because people here very much have their own stories about the environment,” she said.
“They care very deeply for the environment in Okotoks and have a great interest in our different ecosystems.”
The tour will involve discussions around some of those stories within the exhibition and encourages people to share their own thoughts and experiences, said Sine.
“Those that have been in the community a long time have experienced things in the environment like floods that changed the course of the river,” she said.
The 96-minute documentary Before the Flood explores the effects of climate change around the world while suggesting ways to prevent the disruption of life on Earth, said Sine.
Before the Flood is presented by National Geographic featuring Academy Award-winning actor Leonardo DiCaprio on a journey as the United Nations Messenger of Peace through five continents and the Artic to witness the effects of climate change first-hand.
“There are quite a few different documentaries that deal with climate change, but this one is fairly new,” she said. “It encompasses the exploration of five continents as well as the Arctic, looking at how climate change is witnessed first hand and it has won a number of awards.
“It’s one people haven’t seen, compared to better-known documentaries that people have seen.”
The Art of Climate Change is free.
Those interested in attending the exhibition tour and documentary screening must register by calling the Okotoks Art Gallery at 403-938-3204 or by sending an email to [email protected]
