Museums at the Ecological Turn

In recent years, the intersection between ecological thought and contemporary art has sparked a generative reflection encompassing sustainability, conservation, and survivability. Confronted with the climate catastrophe, ecology questions the feasibility of conserving collapsing ecosystems as well as our imperative of survival, alongside other humans, and non-humans, amidst the ruins of a world we have already irreversibly altered.In November 2023, the second edition of the Museo Ventuno conference, Museums at the Ecological Turn, curated for AMACI by Caterina Riva together with NERO, brought together voices and perspectives from inside and outside of the art institutions to intercept and amplify the debate around these issues. Reflecting on the role of museums and how they must embrace new forms of responsibility and awareness, this book gathers contributions from curators, philosophers and activists, artists and writers. Authors Amal Khalaf, iLiana Fokianaki, Stella Succi, Emanuele Braga, Jamie Allinson, James Bridle, Jumana Manna and Cal Flyn engage with the ethical and political duties and contradictions of art institutions, reflecting on the relation between art and climate activism, on the fragility of our natural and cultural ecosystems and on their need for conservation, on the possibility for survival and regeneration.