The Hammer Museum recently opened their newest exhibition, Breath(e): Toward Climate and Social Justice. Geared toward addressing the climate crisis and anthropogenic disasters, and how these events undeniably intersect with social justice, the exhibit is able to explore various environmental art practices.  

 Looking into the ethics of climate justice, the idea for the production of Breath(e) first took place in 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as after the murder of George Floyd. To be able to take a breath is a privilege for a magnitude of reasons, and who exactly is offered that privilege within our society was an active conversation that many were having, including The Hammer Museum’s director Ann Philbin. These ideas inspired the exhibition’s title, as well as the artists’, all of whom created work to address climate and social justice.

Curated by artist Glenn Kaino and guest curator Mika Yoshitake, Breath(e) features twenty five international artists. Among these artists, there are also specially curated works by Mel Chin, Ron Finley, Cannupa Hanska Luger, Garnett Puett, and Lan Tuazon. 

Breath(e) explores the ways that humans have disrupted a big portion of the Earth’s natural environments, and also the intersection of how the lack of awareness for the environment trickles down into our own communities. Environmental justice coincides with social justice, as often Black and Brown communities are the ones left behind in climate conversations. A photo series called Flint is Family, by artist LaToya Ruby Frazier, is seen within the exhibit and portrays the water crisis that has been taking place in Flint, Michigan for over a decade.

The artists who participated in Breath(e) were inspired by the ever expanding global climate crisis, as  well as their want for social change. Exploring individual identities to create their pieces, each work has a unique creation process and, more importantly, an underlying commentary. Topics such as pollution are seen in artist Yangkura’s piece, as well as forced migration and human displacement in artist Tiffany Chung’s piece that explores rising sea levels.

The exhibition is part of Getty’s region-wide initiative PST ART: Art & Science Collide, which explores the intersection between art and science. The initiative aims to create a conversation around pressing social issues of our time, collaborating with over 800 artists.

Later this month there will be in-depth conversations held at The Hammer Museum, and various artists that participated in the exhibition will lead these discussions surrounding the meaning behind their pieces and explore some of the solutions towards the fight for climate and social justice. 

‘Breath(e): Toward Climate and Social Justice’ is on view at The Hammer Museum through January 5.