Higher Education Art and Design students from Selby College are driving forward change with their latest exhibition – highlighting the effects global warming is having on our planet through their art.

The Climate Crisis exhibition, which was held between Wednesday 4th January and Friday 6th January at River Mills Ballroom, in Selby, provided thought-provoking work designed to showcase the impact of the rising climate.

Year 2 Higher National Diploma (HND) Art and Design student Chloe Brown’s piece visually represented how the rising climate is melting the polar ice caps.

Transport is one of the largest contributors to the climate crisis, but is something as a society that we have been ingrained to use. My large-scale sketch of soot uses carbon graphite and white chalk to symbolise the emissions we are putting into the atmosphere. It was quite a messy piece to create, but I wanted to make people physically see how grim emissions are and how harmful they are to our planet.

I started looking into ecological impact and organisms, which led me on to the subject of bacteria. My piece shows how something so small can positively affect the environment despite common misconception. The aim is to make you discover what is hidden for yourself, as if looking under a microscope. Not all bacteria are harmful or disease causing, they can impact us all whether they are noticeable or not.

It’s fantastic to see the students bringing their individual skills and strengths together to produce a collaborative exhibition, especially around such a significant and timely topic as climate change. Each of the students has approached the theme with such enthusiasm and passion to make people stop and think about the effects of climate change on our planet. Alongside creating their own individual pieces, they also worked together to organise the exhibition, secure the venue, market the event and source the exhibition equipment. This not only allowed them to showcase their talent as aspiring artists, but has demonstrated how they can effectively work in a team – which is invaluable to their development.

The Art and Design department has also been working closely with local author Christina Gabbitas to help educate young people on important topics affecting today’s society.

As part of this project, students Bugra Karaagac and Finley Hesketh have been animating poetry connected with some of Christina’s stories, which aim to raise awareness surrounding drugs, grooming, knife crime, pollution and more.