Artistic eco-activism - 3rd November 2021

Heads of state, eco-activists and eco-warriors are flocking to Glasgow, Scotland for COP26. This conference is aimed at bringing countries together to tackle the earth’s most pressing matter of climate change.

As the delegates arrived, German artist Arnd Drossel rolled into the city inside a 160 kilogram steel sphere artwork, which he had welded himself. His 1,500 kilometre odyssey is a whole art performance aiming at inspiring onlookers to consider our human connectedness whilst collaborating to combat global warming.

Arnd Drossel: "I am an artist and make this 'promise walk' from Germany to Glasgow to the COP26, about more than five, 1,500 kilometres inside of this sphere. Walking and show people we are feeling connected. We can feel connected when everyone gives a promise to our future, to our children's future and of course to Mother Earth."

Sounding the alarm ahead of the conference, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) revealed that on record the previous 7 years have been the warmest and that we can anticipate more calamitous weather events if global warming isn't curtailed.

Drossel’s three month expedition saw him pausing along the way spreading the message of sustainability with everyone from children to local authorities.

Arnd Drossel: "All around the world we have the same problems but also the same chance. When climate changing is – when we take care about our future. And that’s why I did walk just three months long."

Drossel's “promise walk” holds major significance to his work's message. From the connections made, the support garnered and to the frequent repair stops for his sphere, Drossel claims it is a metaphor for how humanity must confront climate change.

Arnd Drossel: "Nearly every second day, I have find a welding space, a workshop to repair it. But that’s how it is in life. We have always have to take care and repair our own life situation and to repair our nature and to repair the contacts with other people because sometimes it’s not so easy."