ARTAINABLE

The Article by Patrick Jones raises a valid and reasonable question about the MCA's recent environmentally themed show, In the Balance. However I think what is important to recognise is that there is a marked difference between being environmental and being sustainable (and I'm not just talking about the difference between having a 3 minute shower to washing yourself with a bucket of gutter water). In the Balance is not a sustainable art show, it is an environmentally 'themed' show (as the MCA purposefully declares) which displays elements of sustainable practice. I guess the question that is raised from a show like this (other than the MCA's failed attempt to save the earth) is whether being a 'sustainable' artist holds more authority or deserves more 'kudos' than that of an environmental artist. It's a hard question to answer as both in their own way are bringing some sort of awareness about environmental concern. As an aside, there are some amazing sustainable practices out there, not just in the art world, and it is quite inspiring. I recently went to an exhibition of graduate sustainable designers, and it was really powerful (that rasputin-bearded gardner "Costa" who has his own t.v show said a lovely speech and gave a sunflower seed to all the designers and told them to 'grow' [which I thought was a little expected but I didn't mind as there was free organic wine]). And what's even better is that these certain sustainable practices and aesthetics can hold up against, if not higher, than those practices that aren't sustainable. It's a slow process, but it's getting there.

No longer does sustainability have to be associated with hemp wearing, rope-as-a-belt wearing, eating-out-of-garbages folk. Not to say that is not apprieciated, it is, I think rope-as-a-belt is quite ingenious.

Here is some environmentally charged nudity for you.

Peace.