2096 was a project I did in 2019. It was sort of group contemplation on the huge age difference between two prominent advocates for our planet.

Last Saturday morning (23rd Nov 2019) in Keswick Museum a mosaic of Sir David Attenborough and Greta Thunberg was finished with a flourish. The colourful 1 metre square work is based on a composite drawing produced by Keswick artist David Miller earlier this year.

The finished work, titled “2096”, was created by first cutting up the original pencil drawing into more than 40 pieces. These were then distributed among the participants who made their own interpretations in colour using various media including pastel, watercolour and collage. The pieces were re-assembled as the work progressed.

14 people, including several climate emergency activists, were involved in creating the work. They ranged in age from ten to mid-seventies.

David Miller said:

 “We are really pleased with the final result, lots of individual sparks of creativity come together in this piece and the resulting effect is much more impressive than any of us could have achieved on our own. 

The dates and numbers embedded in the image refer to Attenborough and Thunberg’s ages and project forward to the date when Greta will reach Sir David’s age -2096.

Like many, many other people I’m deeply concerned about the lack of any serious intent by governments in the rich, polluting countries to treat the existential threat of climate change, environmental degradation and species extinction as an emergency. But clearly it’s going to take many more people to counter the hugely powerful vested interests that profit from globalisation and free-market capitalism. They are driving us down a path that is starting to make the planet uninhabitable for humans – beginning with those people who are the poorest and least powerful.

It’s action not art that makes things change, but I would really like this work to be seen in a few different venues.” 

To begin with, the finished work will be returning to Mrs F’s cafe where the original cutting-up of the drawing took place.

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