Climate calendar

Climate issues have arrived on the streets, in politics, and in the media. The main forms of expression during demonstrations are loudly chanted slogans and painted or printed banners. They are short and extremely concise, often creative contenders for a place in memory. In political debates and media reports, however, arguments, facts, and forecasts prevail. Art does more and different things; it provides space for feelings such as fear, concern, or compassion. It allows for fantasies and utopias. This was the focus of the non-profit organization "Klimaschutz Göttingen" with its project "Climate - Youth - Future," which began in 2015. In all types of schools and grade levels in the city and rural areas, learning, thinking, and painting about this topic were encouraged. More than 200 works were created, documented in a slightly anonymized form. They were thus produced before "Fridays for Future" emerged! Based on this collection, numerous smaller and larger exhibitions have been designed and intentionally shown in places with little affinity for art: town hall, district administration, school center, district court, adult education center, café. The present calendar contains a selection of these images. Month by month, a new facet of today's youth engagement becomes visible. Their thoughts and demands are often deeper and more far-reaching than those of today's climate politicians. As a "perpetual calendar," it will keep the feelings and reflections of youth alive for a long time. It also offers plenty of material for discussion: the communicative triangle of visual language, artist, and viewer commentary is an invitation to conversation. On the back of each month's page, selected comments from students and other viewers are printed, expressing their thoughts on various topics.