Climate Century
The farming of animals for food is accepted as among the largest contributors to climate change; conversely, choosing to not consume animals is one of the more significant choices an individual can make to reduce their carbon footprint. And yet many of us continue to consume animals, contributing to enormous cruelty alongside global warming, in the face of evidence.
In the absence of known eulogies and memorials for individual animals slaughtered in environmentally impacting commercial industries in Australia and globally, Climate of Cruelty will face the evidence by commemorating the lives of the top ten animal species killed worldwide for food. *
The work will develop as a song-cycle, experimental cinema piece and live performance event. Climate of Cruelty will honour the animals who have suffered for our desires, in a beautiful, evocative and challenging commemorative chamber concert. It is a cry for animals, for nature, for change. It is a break in the silence of a world in crisis.
* 1 Marine Animals; 2 Chickens; 3 Ducks; 4 Pigs; 5 Rabbits; 6 Turkeys; 7 Geese; 8 Sheep; 9 Goats; 10 Cows and Calves. 150 billion slaughtered annually.
Artist Profile
Jason Sweeney’s interdisciplinary practice in the last 15 years has been in the emerging, risk-taking and constantly developing fields of digital art and technology, music, sound installation, performance art, interactive community art projects, online art, curation, experimental film and screen culture.
Since 2003 he has collaborated with some of Australia’s leading performing arts companies and organisations as well as directing and creating a number of his own interactive works for the internet and participatory community engagement projects for galleries and theatre spaces. As a composer of electronic music, he has also been releasing music internationally with two bands, Panoptique Electrical and Pretty Boy Crossover, via the record label, Sensory Projects. Music from the releases has been used since in short and feature films, as well numerous theatre and dance productions around the world. Over the last few years Jason has made experimental feature film, The Dead Speak Back, and a trilogy of works focused on quietness, including major project Stereopublic: Crowdsourcing the Quiet which won a TED City 2.0 Prize.