Nomination
The deforestation of the Brazilian Amazon continues at an alarming rate. In an ongoing partnership between the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and artist Thijs Biersteker, Wither is a slice of digital rainforest that disappears at the same rate as the Amazon rainforest. It updates every time new data is available, becoming a living monument to the biodiversity loss happening right now. Every leaf that becomes transparent marks the loss of 128 square meters of rainforest, 641 square meters each second (based on data from 31 July 2020 – 31 July 2021). This confronts us with the urgency of the climate emergency and the importance of respecting and valuing Earth’s essential living systems.
Credits
Wither (2022)
Artist: Thijs Biersteker
Data partner: UNESCO
Scientific lead: Meriem Bouamrane, Paulo Massoca, Sacha Siani
Production by: Woven Studio – sustainable art productions
Technical lead: Thijs Biersteker
Studio director: Sophie de Krom
Production: Tom Bekkers, Bastiaan Kennedy, Bastiaan van Oerle
Assistants: Amba Bharti, Madelief Broekman, Nathan Pottier, Theo Rekelhof
Special thanks: Bélen Vera-Raya, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Quérine van der Weijde
The work is produced in a circular and low emission way by Woven Studio.
Biography
Thijs Biersteker (NL) creates interactive awareness installations about the world’s most pressing issues today. In his work he seamlessly combines scientific research and new technologies to deliver an empowering experience that is accessible both intellectually and technologically. His immersive art installations, often described as eco – or awareness art, turn the impact of topics like climate change, air pollution, ocean plastic, and the Anthropocene into tangible experiences that travel the world to create awareness around these topics. He is also the founder of Woven Studio (https://www.wovenstudio.io/), where science-based artworks are created in a circular and sustainable way.