In my collage, originally created for the Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition 2023, I connected four original hand modified photographs on a recycled gold tray.
I am connecting the spiritual, prayer flags, and the physical, recycle bins. The flags point to the sublime, the bins to what we reject. We must bring these together to create a positive, hopeful embrace of climate change and sustainability activism, as I do in my art.
My inspiration arose from the famously inspirational four pillars of Gross National Happiness in Bhutan.
1. Sustainable and Equitable Socio-Economic Development
2. Preservation and Promotion of Culture
3. Environmental Conservation
4. Good Governance
The Bhutanese ideal of gross national happiness - rather than gross national product (GNP) leads immediately to concern for climate change. Here we were ever so lucky to be given insights from a great new friend. This is Tashi, who took part in the international snowman trail race in September 2022, organised by HM The King to add a new voice to the demands for action on climate risk, as the trail marked the retreat of the snowfields.
I was encouraged by my two fellow Regent's University alumni, HM The Queen of Bhutan and François van den Abeele, SEA2SEE Founder & Ceo.
We all have several things in common: successful studies at Regent's, a passion for a happy future and clean environment around us - and making a specific change and difference in areas close to us.