ALTA VERAPAZ - An ear of maize from a failed corn crop

Meredith Kohut, American

ALTA VERAPAZ - An ear of maize from a failed corn crop, 2020

This image depicts a dried ear of corn from a failed crop in Guatemala. While seemingly small, this crop represents life changing events and decisions made by migrants every day in response to climate change. The failure of crops in many countries means the economic defeat of many families who rely on agriculture to support themselves. As weather, especially rain, becomes more unpredictable as climate change progresses, farmers can no longer rely on their crops to stay healthy. For many, this means the decision to leave their homes ad begin migration to find economic opportunities to support their families. Label by Annabelle Marcais

Safe Passage

Ai Weiwei, Chinese

Safe Passage, 2020

The installation wrapped around the massive columns of the Minneapolis Institute of Art merely resembles orange vines at first, akin to the climbing tendencies of English ivy. Upon further glance, the orange wrappings appear to be vests rather than vines. The life vests are a stark reminder of displacement due to climate change, which can force individuals to flee from their homes and embark on perilous travels to seek out safety. Individuals may be seeking shelter from climate change, but not everyone believes these travels are necessary or legal. As a result, refugees are forced to take unsafe routes to states which could deny them safety due to political and nativist beliefs. These journeys often result in massive casualties aboard unsafe transportation vessels, such as makeshift rafts. The installation prompts us to consider the policies which result in mass casualties, rather than open borders. Label by Eliza Madison

Ghost Trees

Anne McClintock, South African/American

Ghost Trees, 2018

Dead trees of unknown species break the waterline to tower above a small bayou boat at Bayou Pointe Aux Chien, Louisana. These skeletal ‘ghost trees’ are the remnants of once thriving freshwater wetlands turned salty and inhospitable for native vegetation due to oil industry canals. Residents of Bayou Pointe largely belong to the Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw tribe(s) and were the first federally named American ‘climate refugees’, though they are not federally recognized as a tribe. The ghost trees will remain for a bit as a macabre monument to Louisiana’s worsening climate plight before having no choice but to sink beneath the waters. In contrast to the trees, many in Bayou Pointe—like the boaters in the photo’s foreground—are choosing to float for as long as possible, staying on their land to preserve their lives and culture in the face of an existential threat. Label by Lia Deasy

Displaced Salvadoran Family Cooking Together

Meredith Kohut, American

Displaced Salvadoran Family Cooking Together, 2020

Delmira de Jesús Cortez Barrera (left) and her sister (center) make pupusas, traditional Salvadoran food, with their family. They moved to El Salvador’s capital city of San Salvador after their agriculture work was no longer able to support them. This cluttered image is a reflection of the broader state of affairs in El Salvador. With climate change making agriculture more difficult, may traditional farming families are forced to move into crowded cities to find food and work. Housing is very expensive or unavailable for many citizens, meaning multiple generations of families often live in the same household. Label by Lucas Theobald