The Anthropocene

Abstract or Summary

The Earth recently entered a new epoch – the Anthropocene. Representations of the Anthropocene tend towards Climate change as a readily available trope. Since the dawn of modern mechanised industry and the use of fossil fuels, the story goes that human beings have become the dominant force for change in our atmosphere, seas and land. It is a compelling idea – and the Anthropocene has generated public interest as well as academic debate. Geologists are now beginning to consider the knock-on global effect that the economy, government, news and arts media may have on our Earth. In this lecture I shall further explore how art, design and humanities consider their relation to planetary and geographical scales.