Series 3/3: The Artist and the Engineer – This series reflects on the relationship in between Art and Engineering.

From climate change to rapid urbanization civilization is facing radical challenges in the way we approach and solve problems. In this vast and growing world how do we understand the personal and intimate nature of these challenges. When there is a constant pressure for economic growth how do we value life and resources. In order to achieve this we must value creativity. Upholding the belief that we can overcome these challenges by working together valuing our different giftings. The answer is not to lose hope and to see borders and countries break down under the pressure for resources. If we value growth more than we value each other we will have lost sense of what it means to be a civilization.

Tipping Point is a project that brings scientist and artists together to study climate change and understand how it effects us. It takes the abstract and overwhelming idea of climate change and breaks it down to a quantifiable and identifiable idea. This is part of a global effort by artists to understand the human aspect of these global challenges. Art enables us to relate to these big ideas and see the different perspectives and outlooks into these challenges. Art can enable us to grow in our understanding of these challenges and our passion to bring about positive change.

Art doesn’t have to have a message or uphold social values. At its core art should remind us of the creativity of humanity. It should encourage us that as a civilisation there are solutions to these challenges. My wife loves searching for patterns in photography and prints. The different work she creates presents varied and complex patterns. This reminds me of the design we find throughout our environment. The challenges society face may be varied and complex but there are underlying patterns throughout, we need to work together to understand these complex patterns and build a better future.