This series of monotypes is centered around technological advancements that, while making our lives easier, have also slowly unraveled the very fabric of society. Daily activities, like going to the market on a daily basis, prior to the invention of the refrigerator, or going out to see a film, before home-entertainment became the standard, historically forced us to know and respect our neighbors and others, on the periphery of friendship, who we no longer come into contact with through daily routines.

As an artist who has focussed most of my work on environmental issues for the past 25 years, I have continuously strived to create work that resonates with the viewing public and that, ideally, helps to encourage environmental protection and be an instrument of change. When I began doing paintings about air pollution and climate change, in the year 2000, my preferred method was that of Alarmism, whereby I felt that showing the scary, dystopian side effects of ignoring the climate crisis would awaken the public into action. Over time, as more and more dire warnings were issued by the scientific community and the issue became more politicized, it started to become more evident that stoking anxiety isn’t as effective as positive messaging and could actually have the negative effect of causing apathy. With the election of Donald Trump to a second term as President of the United States, dealing a major blow to environmental causes, demonstrates that there is a serious disconnect between what people think is the motivation behind certain policies, which are meant to help protect society from exploitative practices, and the reality of the motivations behind said policies. I produced this series as a way of highlighting how technology and lifestyle choices affect societal cohesion. It is hard to imagine the world making the progress necessary to prevent loss of biodiversity, protect our oceans and waterways, or stave off the most destructive effects of a warming climate if for every one person who is trying to do their part, you have another “rolling coal” (referring to a climate–denier movement where people modify their car’s exhaust system so that it releases large clouds of particulate smog from the engine as an affront to environmentalists). Each of these series of monotypes represents an occasion where people have historically found an opportunity to gather and find areas of common ground, paired with technology that played an instrumental role in either eliminating or vastly reducing these occasions. In between these two polarities lies a “ghost print” of the original, on toyo chine collé, that I printed with inked, leaves and woven natural fibers that are in the process of becoming unthreaded, representing the unraveling our our societal bonds. In the last print of each series, we are left with the repercussions of each “advancement”- a lonesome object in an isolated space, guild in fool’s gold, made by taking prints from inked plastic packaging that was salvaged from the dump. Natural threads are replaced by artificial “nets”, which keep us isolated from each other.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and your artistic practice? What steps did you take to become the artist you are today?

My name is James Stewart Keul.  I am a painter, printmaker, and muralist living in Durham, North Carolina, in the United States.  My mum paints in watercolours, and her father painted, so I was always exposed to art and encouraged to paint from a young age.  I started painting in oils at the age of 14 and began printmaking, at 17, after taking etching classes in high school.  I attended the Savannah College of Art and Design and then studied for 6 years at the Art Students League of NY, under a number of different instructors.  These two programs offered a wide range of opportunities to develop skills in the business of being an artist as well as to develop the technique and studio practice that I have today.

What motivated you to apply and participate in this online program? What were your initial goals and expectations?

I was interested in applying to this online residency because I am constantly looking for opportunities to connect with other artists, writers, and thinkers who share my vision of a more environmentally-conscious, diverse, and inclusive world, and who are engaged in and committed to art-driven change.  While I was initially a bit skeptical of the concept of an online “residency”- a term which seemed a bit oxymoronic, at first, I was surprised and inspired by the level of connection and support that everyone in the group offered and received from each other throughout the program.  My goal heading into it was to experiment and find new and effective ways to visually talk about Climate Change, in a non-dystopian fashion, against the backdrop of a polarized, climate-denying, increasingly right-wing-leaning America.  

During the residency, you developed a series that explores the idea that technological advancements, while making our lives easier, have also "slowly unraveled the very fabric of society." Can you elaborate on this concept?

While the focus of my work has been about Climate Change for the past 25 years, the issue has become increasingly politicized.  So much so that if for every one person who tries to do their part by reducing their footprint and supporting environmental regulations, you potentially have another “rolling coal” (a term used to describe when someone has modified their car’s exhaust system so that it emits large clouds of dirty particulates as a way to protest emissions standards).  Halfway through this residency, the United States inaugurated Donald Trump to a second term as President.  As we were familiarizing ourselves, in this residency, with the breadth of ways in which artists engage in eco-art disciplines, I began to feel that in the US, at least right now, until we can find a way to mend our fractured society, there is little use in trying to convince people to take Climate Change seriously.  Until we can unite around a common desire to rethread the fabric of society, any attempt at changing people’s opinions about Climate Change will either fall on deaf ears or else be preaching to the choir.   My opa, or grandfather, who lived in Texas, apparently once stated that air conditioning would be the death of society because prior to the introduction of the AC, people would sit on their front porches and greet people passing by.  I used this as a jumping off point to examine the ways in which technological advancements have allowed people evermore freetime but at a cost to societal bonds.

Your monotypes pair historical occasions for social gatherings with the technologies that have diminished them. Can you discuss the specific choices you made in selecting these pairings and what underlying connections you sought to highlight?

Each of the examples that I chose to highlight in this series are everyday conveniences that most people probably don’t spend much time thinking about, such as the refrigerator, or an online banking app, paired against a social interaction that would have occurred had that technology not existed.  The idea being not to show that the technologies are inherently bad or that they should be abandoned, but rather to encourage people to think about the choices they make and how that choice influences their level of interaction with other members of their community.  To use the refrigerator as an example, prior to refrigeration, people used to have to go to the market on a daily basis to get food- each time interacting with other people and reinforcing connections with acquaintances who live on the periphery of our lives, between friends and strangers.  Other examples include moviegoing vs. home entertainment, in-person vs. online shopping, family dinners at the table vs. microwave TV dinners, public transportation vs. private car ownership, etc. Again, very few people would choose to give up having the conveniences of refrigeration, air conditioning, or home entertainment, but it is worth thinking about how these things limit “built-in”, effortless social interactions.  On a personal level, this can lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness, and on a societal level, to polarization, politicization, and environmental degradation.   

You incorporate "ghost prints" of inked leaves and woven natural fibers to represent the unraveling of societal bonds. Can you elaborate on the symbolism of these materials and how they contribute to the overall narrative of your work?

Sure!  Firstly, let me quickly define what a monotype is.  A monotype is created by painting an image, in ink, on a metal or plexiglass plate and placing it on the bed of an etching press, ink-side up, and running it through the press with a wetted piece of paper on top, thereby offsetting the ink onto the paper and creating a unique, single image.  For each monotype in this series that depicts a social interaction, I have created two additional prints.  One of these, as you mention, is a “ghost print”, meaning the plate is printed a second time releasing the faint remains of ink that remain from the first printing.  However, before placing the wetted paper on the plate, I applied a chine collé, which is a printmaking technique where you simultaneously use wheat paste to glue down a separate piece of paper, between the ink and paper, while printing.  In this case, I used Japanese toyo paper, onto which I printed hand-woven pineapple plant fibres in the process of becoming unraveled.  This is symbolic of our unravelling societal threads and also a nod to the other artists in the residency who work in fibres, to connect our work.  The third print in each group is an entirely different monotype depicting the technology.  For these prints, I used a sort of reverse chine collé, using a heat-applied archival glue to attach a semi-transparent paper, onto which I printed various types of synthetic netting in gold ink, suggesting the “fool’s gold” allure of these products.

You mention shifting from alarmism to positive messaging in your environmental art. What specific strategies do you employ to create work that is both engaging and hopeful, and how do you avoid the pitfalls of apathy or cynicism?

I still think there is room for both alarmism and positive messaging in environmental art but regardless of the tone, I believe that the best art is not didactic and leaves room for some open interpretation by the viewer.  I think some of my most successful works about Climate Change are a bit vague in this way.  It all comes back to inclusivity.  Although I do have a strong desire to effect change, I don’t want my work to be so partisan and one-sided that it is unapproachable to people who might not share my views about the environment.  One thing that I have found helps to bridge the gap a bit is painting in a beautiful technique.  Even if you paint challenging issues that not everyone agrees on, I have found that people, in general, can appreciate art on an aesthetic level, regardless of the subject.  In this way, art and culture really can transcend political ideology and help to engage people in conversations about issues like Climate Change, which might not be possible to have in the political sphere alone.

Can you share an example of how you and your fellow artists inspired or learned from each other during the collaborative process?

I feel that we all learned a great deal from each other, and I loved how much support, advice, and constructive criticism was shared throughout the residency.  The incorporation of woven/printed fibres is probably the most obvious example of how this artistic cross-pollination affected my work from this period, but there are many others.  For Charlotte, we all read installments of her screenplay and helped her workshop ideas for character development, etc., ideas for overcoming technical hurdles were shared by all, and the Thursday lectures helped provide inspiration and possible new directions to explore in our work.  I found it inspiring to see how the other artists in the group work, develop their ideas, and, of course, to see the final products of their labours.  There is a healthy amount of accountability that comes with meeting three days a week, and it was a very positive experience throughout!

You've been creating environmental art for over 25 years. How has your perspective on the role of art in promoting environmental protection evolved over time, and what advice would you give to emerging artists who are passionate about environmental issues?

As I mentioned earlier, when I began doing environmental paintings 25 years ago, it wasn’t quite the political issue that it is today.  In fact, one of my paintings, Fish in Troubled Waters, was recently included in the 5th National Climate Assessment, which is a US Government-mandated report that is issued every four years by the US Global Change Research Program, to information from various siloed governmental agencies that collect climate data.  In fact, it was a Republican president, George H.W. Bush, who created this mandate.  However, over the past 25 years, it has become a more and more politically divisive issue in the US, which, in my opinion, will require a change of messaging.  Like the stages of grief, the process of dealing with Climate Change on a societal level happens at different times and to differing degrees.  I think most of society has been in either denial or depression.  Now we just need enough anger to demand change, such that bargaining, and acceptance follow.  For young artists who are interested in environmental issues, I would suggest focussing on any art that brings people together.  As a society, the more connected we are, the more apathetic we all become towards one another.  As activists, the more unified we are, the more effective we will be.  And, of course, the best antidote to apathy or a feeling of helplessness is action!

If you could give one piece of advice to future participants of this program, what would it be?

I would say that you get back as much as you put into this experience.  Come with an open, growth-oriented mindset, be willing to experiment, and use this residency as an opportunity to challenge yourself.  It is a safe, supportive environment in which to broaden the scope of your work and deepen your conceptual foundations, so take advantage of this great opportunity!

Find out more about the artist here.

See the immersive virtual exhibition here.

All images courtesy of James Keul

Cover Image:

Home Entertainment (series of 3), monotype with collage, 20cm x 30cm by James Keul