Mirror or Hammer? News Media Coverage of Climate-Related Art

Ulrike Hahn*, Filip Vermeylen

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)
61 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

A growing momentum of artists and cultural institutions addressing climate change in their works and exhibitions can be observed in recent years. It is important to understand how such art is covered in quality newspapers because they can give meaning and importance to climate change, and cultural journalists act as mediators between cultural producers and consumers. This research asks: How is exhibited, visual climate-related art presented and evaluated in US and European quality newspapers between 2015 and 2021? Through qualitative content analysis of approximately 125 newspaper articles, this study reveals that climate-related art has been given a platform in quality newspapers, although more in some than others. It is frequently reported as reflecting on society – often the problems, and less the solutions – and shaping society. Climate-related art is evaluated based on its subversive power, topicality, environmental sustainability, and artistic qualities.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)172-186
Number of pages15
JournalEnvironmental Communication
Volume17
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 7 Mar 2023

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This work was written as part of a PhD project which received funding from the PhD in the Humanities programme of the Dutch Research Council (NWO). Project number: PGW.19.010/8366.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Research programs

  • ESHCC A&CS

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