Slow emergencies by Monique Martin will be on display in the Portage Mutual Gallery from September 11 to November 5.
Artist Statement - Slow Emergencies – Did we really even try??
We thought the environment was frozen in time. It is now a slow emergency. Nature measures time in epochs, eras, eons; it is not based on a human construct of days or years. Humans trespass without notice on nature’s time scale but have altered deep time. Our trespassing renders a lasting impact, stripping mother earth, leaving her vulnerable and weak. We were complacent thinking we had the answers and believing that tomorrow is always promised. Did we even really try? The eternal seconds of our nascent attempts to address climate change may be too late. The regrets will be carried by the future generations comparing what we could have done with what actually occurred. Time is eternal and everything is gradually covered by the earth.
'Slow Emergencies – Did We Really Even Try?' reflects on humanity’s impact on nature, which operates on a timescale far beyond our days and years. Our disregard for this natural rhythm has left the Earth vulnerable, and our attempts to address climate change may come too late. As we grapple with our delayed responses, future generations will judge us based on what we failed to do. The eternal passage of time will eventually cover our missteps, revealing the extent of our complacency and the fragility of our efforts to mend what we’ve harmed.