Art show highlights climate change, social issues, beauty of nature

The air is contaminated with toxic gas, creeks are more chemical than water and the life that once graced its shores has long since fled or been buried under layers of hazardous waste. This dystopian wasteland is what the people of Richmond call home.
For decades, low-income cities like Richmond and East Palo Alto have lived at the mercy of giant industrial facilities. These cases of social injustice, intertwined with environmental issues, will be featured in the “Burning Ice” exhibition held  at De Anza College’s Euphrat Museum of Art from Feb. 1 to March 17.
The most toxic neighborhoods tend to be home to the “poorest people with the least amount of resources,” said Diana Argabrite, curator for the exhibition and director of the Arts & Schools program at De Anza. “What’s going to happen if we continue on this path?”
The artwork displayed doesn’t just reflect the damage humans have inflicted on the environment so far, Argabrite said. There are many pieces honoring the beauty and fragility of nature as well. The exhibition showcases the works of both students and established artists advocating for change. It features all kinds of art  from traditional drawings and paintings to mixed-media art and a site-specific installation produced by art students and Argabrite’s interns.
As you step through Euphrat’s doors, the first thing you see is your face reflected alongside the portraits of two powerful advocates for environmentalism. Artist Brett Cook painted the portraits of a spiritual leader Thích Nhất Hạnh and environmental activist Arundhati Roy on a mirrored surface.
“The bells of mindfulness are calling out to us, trying to wake us up, reminding us to look deeply at our impact on the planet,” says the famous Nhất Hạnh quote that hangs below the portraits.
“Burning Ice” is organized in conjunction with Silicon Valley Reads, a county-wide organization devoted to engaging public through reading. Each year, the organization features two books that bring awareness to one important issue.
This year’s theme is “Chance of Rain: The impact of climate change on our lives.” The books chosen are two environmental dystopian novels, “Memory of Water” by Emmi Itäranta and “Sherwood Nation” by Ben Parzybok. Both Itäranta and Parzybok will attend the artist reception in Euphrat on Feb. 17, along with artists participating in “Burning Ice” as well as a live jazz band.
The museum will also host an all-day “Climate Action Art Cards” workshop on March 5, where participants can create cards that raise awareness about climate change. Argabrite said she encourages people to send the cards to friends and family.
“But it would be really effective if you took your cards and sent them to one of our legislators,” she said.
The issue of climate change is bleak, but echoes of hope and a call-to-action resonate throughout the exhibit and the events it goes along with. The art featured in “Burning Ice” is deep and empowering, and when the power is in the rights hands, the change can come and make life flourish again.