The union of science and art is fundamental to questioning and reinventing our relationship with the planet. We need both scientists and artists to understand and witness the wonders of biodiversity, and the urgent need to protect them. After Art Basel Miami in December 2023, UNESCO is delighted and proud to once again promoting this dialogue at Art Basel Paris.
Audrey AzoulayUNESCO Director-General
In collaboration with Nautilus, Dona Bertarelli Philanthropy, the Schmidt Ocean Institute and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), the exhibition Resilience: Artistic Solutions to Human, Ocean and Biodiversity Challenges presented by UNESCO at Art Basel Paris 2024 will consist of three collections:
Tsunami: Sea Change for Resilience: a series of portraits by Matt Porteous dedicated to the survivors of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, twenty years after the tragedy. The photographer is also the co-founder of Ocean Culture Life, a network that brings together content creators and environmental activists.
Biodiversity: Through the Lens: a stunning visual exploration of biodiversity devised by Discover Earth, a global community platform through which creators, institutions and partners join forces to raise awareness of the beauty and fragility of our planet, and cooperate to preserve it.
The Artists-at-Sea collection: works by artists Taiji Terasaki and Rebecca Rutstein inspired by their time on board the R/V Falkor, the oceanographic research vessel of the Schmidt Ocean Institute.
This triptych will be presented in a mixed print and digital format at the UNESCO-Nautilus exhibition in the Grand Palais, which will also host a series of meetings and presentations on art and science over three days.
Members of the public will also be able to discover the Tsunami: Sea Change for Resilience and Biodiversity: Through the Lens collections at their leisure on the outside of UNESCO headquarters until 31 October.
Combining Nautilus' innate story-telling mission, UNESCO's mandate for culture, education and sciences, and a golden group of partners and artists, the exhibition invites us to contemplate the enduring forces of human and natural resilience. Even as we face an era of unprecedented environmental loss, these works of art show us that survival is not just about enduring; it is about adapting, evolving, and thriving against the odds.
John SteeleFounder and Publisher of Nautilus
This is UNESCO's second participation in Art Basel. In December 2023, in Miami, the Organization highlighted the wonders of the deep sea and the importance of marine conservation alongside Nautilus and the Schmidt Ocean Institute. It also hosted several conferences bringing together artists and scientists. These initiatives testify to UNESCO's determination to place art at the heart of sustainable development.
About UNESCO
With 194 Member States, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization contributes to peace and security by leading multilateral cooperation on education, science, culture, communication and information. Headquartered in Paris, UNESCO has offices in 54 countries and employs over 2300 people. UNESCO oversees more than 2000 World Heritage sites, Biosphere Reserves and Global Geoparks; networks of Creative, Learning, Inclusive and Sustainable Cities; and over 13 000 associated schools, university chairs, training and research institutions. Its Director-General is Audrey Azoulay.
"Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed" - UNESCO Constitution, 1945.
