COP26 ART

Protest art at Kelvingrove Art Gallery Credit: Colin Hattersley

I will learn to sit with you and I will learn to listen - art installation at Glasgow Cathedral

A protest art exhibition in Glasgow during COP26 featured three striking portraits, the faces partly obscured by black paint.

All three paintings represent lives that have been devastated by the climate crisis in countries around the world. Painted by Glasgow-based artist ID Campbell, they were commissioned by Christian Aid, Islamic Relief UK and Tearfund ahead of the COP26 climate conference, to shine a spotlight on stories from the vulnerable communities within which they work - communities that are on the frontline of the climate crisis.

Opening initially at Kelvingrove Art Gallery, the paintings then appeared at a number of prominent venues in the city during COP26 including Glasgow Cathedral, St George’s Tron Church and Glasgow Central Mosque.

The dipping of the portraits in black paint took place in the Cathedral and was filmed for the BBC’s Songs of Praise, broadcast during the conference. The exhibition also attracted national and international media attention.

Also in Glasgow Cathedral, An art installation repurposing old chairs has been unveiled at Glasgow Cathedral to launch the programme of COP26 events there. ‘I will learn to sit with you and I will learn to listen’, by artists Gardner & Gardner, was a way for visitors to engage with issues around climate change and to reflect on how we can all try to understand other’s perspectives and experiences.