{"id":96,"date":"2026-07-30T20:17:14","date_gmt":"2026-07-31T01:17:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lacisreview.lacis.wisc.edu\/?p=96"},"modified":"2026-08-20T14:46:15","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T19:46:15","slug":"artistic-resilience-climate-crisis-and-the-response-of-latin-american-eco-artivism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lacisreview.lacis.wisc.edu\/?p=96","title":{"rendered":"Artistic Resilience: Climate Crisis and the Response of Latin American Eco-Artivism"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Artistic Resilience: Climate Crisis and the Response of Latin American Eco-Artivism<\/h1>\n\n\n

Nicole Bonino<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n

In the face of an escalating climate crisis, the Latin American artistic community has emerged as a powerful catalyst for social awareness, advocacy, and resilience. In the context of Latin American eco-artivism, resilience refers to the ability of artists and communities to adapt and respond creatively to the climate crisis through art. Resilience is essential for both cultural survival and environmental advocacy, as art becomes a powerful tool for collective action and the protection of threatened ecosystems. Resilience offers an opportunity for transformation, prompting a reimagining of humanity\u2019s relationship with nature. Focused on climate-induced mobility, this contribution contends that the artistic response to climate crises bears witness to environmental challenges while serving as a crucial tool for inciting action. By examining the ways in which activist practitioners register the environmental crises currently affecting the Global South, this introductory essay delves into the multifaceted expressions of environmental activist art, or eco-artivism.

German historian Reinhart Koselleck extensively studied the concept of \u201ccrisis\u201d by tracing its semantic evolution from its medical origins to its applications in political and social contexts in relation to moments of significant change. In Critique and Crisis<\/em> (2000) and The Practice of Conceptual History<\/em> (2002), Koselleck analyzes the modern usage of the word \u201ccrisis\u201d which often implies a sense of urgency and the need for immediate action. In his publications, the historian highlights the term\u2019s inherent ambiguity, encompassing both danger and opportunity, thus reflecting its dual nature as a moment of peril and potential renewal.

In The Practice of Conceptual History<\/em>, he states that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The paradox of this doctrine of crisis seems to consist in the fact that our balance can only be preserved or regained when productivity increases steadily and does not, for instance, stagnate for, at such times, regression would appear to be inevitable. In this respect, this model hitherto requires progress, without which it would not be empirically provable. [\u2026] That crises are the generator of progress seems to me to be a semantic model that has been confirmed up until now only in the spheres of economics, natural science, technology, and industry (243).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Koselleck\u2019s perspective, progress resides in reacting to crisis in a productive manner conducive to social advancement. Koselleck implies that crises, while often perceived negatively, have historically functioned as catalysts for growth and transformation. Even though his analysis challenges us to rethink the role of crises in a constructive way, we could argue that, nowadays, this is not only true within the domains of economics, natural science, technology, and industry. For instance, Latin American societies are currently responding to critical junctures provoked by the climate crisis through the support of visual and plastic art. Koselleck\u2019s theory is, therefore, also applicable to the humanities, as progress is constantly made in the realm of art history and social sciences, thanks to activist practitioners who are registering the legacy of climate crises through aesthetic practices such as docufilms, installations, painting collections, and audio-visual materials. These works of art are the products of a revolutionary response to climate crises that could be called \u201cEco-Artivism.\u201d

Eco-artivism is a form of artistic expression that combines environmental activism with creative practices. Eco-artivists use their art to raise awareness about environmental issues and advocate for sustainable changes. By engaging viewers emotionally and intellectually, this artistic subgenre seeks to foster a connection between individuals and the surrounding world while addressing pressing ecological concerns. Eco-artivism can take various forms, including visual arts, performances, installations, and multimedia projects. In Latin America, eco-practitioners employ their creations as a vehicle to encourage viewers to reflect on the impact of human activities on the planet and to register the challenges determined by climate crises at the expense of individuals and communities.

A particular case is represented by eco-activist art dedicated to the presentation of climate refugees, individuals or communities who are forced to leave their homes due to the impacts of environmental changes that make their current living conditions unsustainable or uninhabitable.1<\/a><\/sup> Droughts, desertification, deforestation, pollution, urbanization pressure, biodiversity loss, and ocean unhealth are only some of the environmental issues affecting the Global South. In Latin America, due to the intensification of these phenomena, climate refugees are forced to migrate either internally within their country or across borders to seek refuge in other nations.

Based on the data recorded by the Banco de Desarrollo de Am\u00e9rica Latina (CAF), the increasing number of Latin Americans and Caribbeans who are migrating due to natural disasters, environmental degradation, and the adverse impacts of climate change made experts estimate that, by 2050, Latin America will have 17 million climate migrants. According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), \u201cbetween 1998 and 2020, climatic and geophysical phenomena caused 312,000 deaths and directly affected over 277 million people in Latin America and the Caribbean.\u201d To celebrate its 50th anniversary, in 2015, the Southern Latin America Regional Office of the UN Refugee Agency launched the project \u201cRefugiArte\u201d featuring over fifty Latin American artistic productions highlighting the stories of refugees and displaced individuals. International summits like the annual \u201cSemana del Clima de Am\u00e9rica Latina y el Caribe\u201d and the \u201cConferencia de las Naciones Unidas sobre el Cambio Clim\u00e1tico,\u201d along with the initiatives promoted by The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Human Rights Council, represent an ideal opportunity to assess the progress made in Latin American regions in terms of adapting to climate change. As Marcelo Pisani\u2014Regional Director for South America of the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM)\u2014underlines, although proposals exist, concrete results are limited, and more efforts are needed to ensure a successful transition to more resilient and sustainable economies that protect the most vulnerable populations.

Unlike refugees fleeing persecution, individuals displaced by environmental factors often lack specific legal protections. Advocacy for legal recognition for climate refugees is an ongoing challenge. Since 2023, Colombia has been working on passing the first legislation in Latin America to propose that the government formally recognize forced internal displacement caused by climate change and environmental degradation. On April 16, 2024, the Colombian Constitutional Court recognized in Ruling T-123 that, just like that caused by armed conflict, displacement due to environmental factors complexly threatens and compromises the exercise of people’s rights generating a crucial situation that must be promptly addressed by the State.

In Latin America, the challenges faced by climate-induced refugees are inspiring artists to create works that foster conversations about the legacy of climate change by inviting their audience to reflect on the urgency of addressing environmental crises. In Panama, Diwigdi Valiente, a non-binary climate activist belonging to the indigenous Guna community partnered with Adriana Pavon, a Latinx entrepreneur dedicated to fostering collaborations in ecological and sustainable fashion by promoting ethical brands and preserving anthropological textiles. As a result of their collaboration, in 2013 they launched the fashion collection Balam Noir<\/em>, designed to highlight the forced displacement the Guna people are facing as their islands become uninhabitable due to rising sea levels caused by climate change. Over 30,000 Indigenous Guna people reside in Guna Yala, a region encompassing the San Blas archipelago off the coast of Panama. Their livelihoods are deeply intertwined with the area\u2019s rich biodiversity, as they depend on the sea, mangroves, and mainland forests for food, medicine, and materials. However, the rising sea levels caused by global warming have rendered several sections of the islands uninhabitable, forcing the Guna community into a gradual evacuation and relocation process to ensure their safety and sustainability.

Valiente\u2019s fashion collection highlights the deep connections between Indigenous communities and the environment, emphasizing the importance of cultural identity in the conversation around climate awareness. By experimenting with patterns, fabric, and colorful threads, Valiente reproduce the nuances and shapes that characterize\u00a0Guna traditions and mythology, their relationship with the natural environment, and the consequences of climate change.2<\/a><\/sup>[2]<\/a>

The designs characterizing Balam Noir<\/em> draw upon the rich cultural heritage of the Guna people while infusing modern design elements. In the case of the outfits depicted in this image, a bold embroidered border creates the optical illusion of a tie, a staple of traditional Western business attire. The geometric pattern of the border-tie serves as the centerpiece of a design that merges Guna cultural motifs with muted neutral colors. The intricate detailing complements the female model\u2019s outfit, characterized by a vibrant yellow dress that sharply contrasts with the warm patterned accents on the side\u2014another nod to Guna traditional embroidery representing elements of Guna mythology and natural symbolism related to water. Both outfits blend modern Western fashion with traditional Guna patterns, highlighting Guna artistry while raising awareness of climate change and emphasizing resilience, and cultural pride. Through his work, Diwigdi Valiente intertwines cultural preservation with artistic expression, challenging conventional Western aesthetics and carving out a space for Indigenous fashion that both honors tradition and raises awareness of the impacts of climate change.3<\/a><\/sup>

Activist initiatives like Valiente\u2019s fashion collection underscore the shared experiences of diverse communities facing environmental crisis. Latin American geographical, economic, and cultural realities, though distinct, are increasingly connected by a changing climate. Fashion and art serve as powerful mediums to highlight this commonality, drawing attention to the invaluable artistic contributions of communities whose cultural identity risks being erased as climate change threatens their very existence.

As they navigate the complex intersections of environmental issues, human migration, and social justice, eco-artivists\u2019 work on ecological displacement might face a range of challenges, such as the lack of governmental support and the resistance encountered from authorities or communities reluctant to share their narratives. If, as claimed by Koselleck, progress resides in resilience, eco-artivists\u2019 reaction to climate crisis socially and politically advances Latin America by improving its current legal system and protecting the rights of affected communities. For instance, in response to the climate change threats faced by the Guna Indigenous people, the Panamanian government has implemented measures such as a relocation plan for vulnerable islands like Gardi Sugdub and the National Climate Change Plan to enhance coastal resilience. Panama began actively rolling out this plan in 2018 with the launch of the \u201cNational Plan on Climate Change for Agriculture\u201d (PNCCSA). Supported by international organizations like the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the initiative aims to strengthen the agricultural sector\u2019s resilience to climate impacts by 2030, promoting long-term sustainability and the conservation of ecosystems such as mangroves and coral reefs. Ultimately, the efforts of eco-artivists prove that art and activism are not just responses to crisis, but catalysts for lasting change, illuminating paths to justice and resilience that reshape the fabric of Latin American society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Head-and-shoulders<\/figure>
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About the Author<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nicole Bonino<\/strong> is Assistant Professor of Spanish and Italian in the Department of Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese at the University of Virginia, where she got her Ph.D. in Latin American Studies in 2020. She works under the umbrella of global mobility, investigating the socio-cultural legacy of forced migration provoked by political repression, economic disadvantages, slavery, land dispossession, and environmental disasters. Her research mainly focuses on activist art (or ARTivism), exploring the complex ways in which migrants and their descendants navigate questions of identity negotiation, belonging, cultural preservation, and adaptation. Her current book project, \u201cThe Visual Revolution of Afro-Argentinian Artivism\u201d explores the transformative power of photography, cinema, and portraiture in challenging racial narratives and reclaiming cultural identity in contemporary Argentina.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Works Cited<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Banco de Desarrollo de Am\u00e9rica Latina, \u201cEl cambio clim\u00e1tico recrudece la crisis migratoria de Am\u00e9rica Latina y el Caribe,\u201d December 2023, https:\/\/www.caf.com\/es\/actualidad\/noticias\/2023\/12\/el-cambio-climatico-acentua-la-crisis-migratoria-de-america-latina-y-el caribe\/#:~:text=Cada%20vez%20m%C3%A1s%20latinoamericanos%20y,por%20desastres%20en%20las%20Am%C3%A9ricas<\/a>

Boston Public Library. \u201cEnd The Debt! Decolonize! Liberate! Scroll Project,\u201d 2018, https:\/\/www.bpl.org\/blogs\/post\/end-the-debt-decolonize-liberate-scroll-project\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate Change Laws of the World, \u201cNational plan on climate change for agriculture (PNCCSA)\u201d, 2018, https:\/\/climate-laws.org\/document\/national-plan-on-climate-change-for-agriculture-pnccsa_dbcd<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Corte Constitucional, Rep\u00fablica de Colombia, \u201cSentencia T-123 de 2024,\u201d https:\/\/www.corteconstitucional.gov.co\/relatoria\/2024\/T-123-24.htm<\/a>

Esquivel Olmos, Anaximena. \u201cEl arte contra el cambio clim\u00e1tico.\u201d La Prensa<\/em>, February 2016, https:\/\/www.prensa.com\/cultura\/arte-cambio-climatico_0_4426057453.html<\/a>

Koselleck, Reinhart. Critique and Crisis: Enlightenment and the Pathogenesis of Modern Society<\/em>. MIT Press, 2000.

Koselleck, Reinhart, and Todd Samuel Presner. The Practice of Conceptual History: Timing History, Spacing Concepts<\/em>. Stanford UP, 2002.

OnlyOne. Climate Warrior<\/em> by Diwigdi Valiente. January 2022, https:\/\/only.one\/watch\/diwigdi-valiente<\/a>

Pisani, Marcelo. \u201cMigrantes ambientales: el rostro humano del cambio clim\u00e1tico en Am\u00e9rica del Sur.\u201d El Pa\u00eds<\/em>, July 2022, https:\/\/elpais.com\/planeta-futuro\/red-de-expertos\/2022-07-19\/migrantes-ambientales-el-rostro-humano-del-cambio-climatico-en-america-del-sur.html<\/a>

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), \u201cRefugiArte: The Refugee Crisis Illustrated by Latin American Artists,\u201d https:\/\/www.unhcr.org\/refugiarte\/<\/a>

World Meteorological Organization, \u201cNew Report Shows Impacts of Climate Change and Extreme Weather in Latin America and Caribbean,\u201d August 2021, https:\/\/wmo.int\/media\/news\/new-report-shows-impacts-of-climate-change-and-extreme-weather-latin-america-and-caribbean<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n
climate change<\/a>, <\/span>eco-activism<\/a>, <\/span>migration<\/a>, <\/span>resilience<\/a>, <\/span>textiles<\/a><\/div>\n\n
  1. In 2017, in the wake of Hurricane Mar\u00eda, the Puerto Rican artistic collective AgitArte began collaborating with the community theater Papel Machete to produce a series of artworks in solidarity with the socio-environmental struggles facing the island\u2019s inhabitants. This collaboration expanded in 2018 with the launch of the project \u201cEnd the Debt! Decolonize! Liberate Puerto Rico! Scroll,\u201d a hand-illustrated depiction of the Puerto Rican diaspora, created with artists Estefan\u00eda Rivera, Crystal Clarity, Rachel Schragis, and Emily Simons, and later digitized by the Boston Public Library. This spirit of eco-artivism is echoed throughout the Caribbean and Latin America, as seen in the work of U\u00fdra Sodoma, a trans nonbinary Indigenous performance artist, educator, and activist who advocates for the protection of the Brazilian Amazon. Collectively, these examples illustrate how eco-artivism, deeply rooted in the local struggles of Latin American communities, has evolved into a powerful regional movement that unites diverse voices across the continent in the pursuit of social justice, environmental protection, and the preservation of cultural heritage, showcasing the transformative role of art in addressing the region\u2019s interconnected challenges. \u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li>
  2. In 2022, Diwigdi Valiente launched his latest project in collaboration with the activist online platform Only One. <\/em>His short autobiographical documentary, Climate Warrior<\/em>, highlights the critical issue of plastic pollution affecting his home islands in Panama. Although Valiente’s community is not responsible for generating this waste, they are inundated by plastic debris that washes ashore as a result of the relentless rise in sea levels. Through this initiative, Valiente seeks to raise awareness of the environmental crisis and advocates for a global plastics treaty to better manage waste and safeguard the Panamanian islands from further contamination. \u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li>
  3. The name of the collection, Balam Noir<\/em>, meaning \u201cBlack Jaguar\u201d in a combination of Mayan and French, encapsulates the synergetic blend of tradition and modernity that defines the stylist\u2019s vision. In Mayan culture, Balam<\/em> is a supernatural being associated with protection, particularly of villages and cornfields, and is revered as the god of agriculture. The word itself translates to \u201cjaguar,\u201d symbolizing power, strength, and guardianship in many Mesoamerican cultures. The inclusion of Noir<\/em>, the French word for \u201cblack,\u201d introduces a global influence. This fusion of Indigenous symbolism and Western sophistication mirrors the collection\u2019s aim to merge traditional Guna artistry with contemporary fashion, while also emphasizing the cultural heritage and resilience of Indigenous communities. \u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li><\/ol>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Nicole Bonino In the face of an escalating climate crisis, the Latin American artistic community has emerged as a powerful catalyst for social awareness, advocacy, and resilience. In the context of Latin American eco-artivism, resilience refers to the ability of artists and communities to adapt and respond creatively to the climate crisis through art. Resilience …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3828,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uw_seo_meta_title":"","_uw_seo_meta_description":"","_uw_seo_twitter_card_type":"summary_large_image","_uw_seo_meta_image":"","_uw_seo_meta_image_url":"","_uw_seo_meta_image_sizes":[],"_uw_seo_custom_meta_tags":[],"uw_external_link":"","footnotes":"[{\"id\":\"3cd40ba6-8867-417b-8f4c-013e8c5d5dd4\",\"content\":\"In 2017, in the wake of Hurricane Mar\\u00eda, the Puerto Rican artistic collective AgitArte began collaborating with the community theater Papel Machete to produce a series of artworks in solidarity with the socio-environmental struggles facing the island\\u2019s inhabitants. This collaboration expanded in 2018 with the launch of the project \\u201cEnd the Debt! Decolonize! Liberate Puerto Rico! Scroll,\\u201d a hand-illustrated depiction of the Puerto Rican diaspora, created with artists Estefan\\u00eda Rivera, Crystal Clarity, Rachel Schragis, and Emily Simons, and later digitized by the Boston Public Library. This spirit of eco-artivism is echoed throughout the Caribbean and Latin America, as seen in the work of U\\u00fdra Sodoma, a trans nonbinary Indigenous performance artist, educator, and activist who advocates for the protection of the Brazilian Amazon. Collectively, these examples illustrate how eco-artivism, deeply rooted in the local struggles of Latin American communities, has evolved into a powerful regional movement that unites diverse voices across the continent in the pursuit of social justice, environmental protection, and the preservation of cultural heritage, showcasing the transformative role of art in addressing the region\\u2019s interconnected challenges.\"},{\"id\":\"1eac3d32-dc2e-4b73-a53e-cba89a932173\",\"content\":\"In 2022, Diwigdi Valiente launched his latest project in collaboration with the activist online platform Only One. <\\\/em>His short autobiographical documentary, Climate Warrior<\\\/em>, highlights the critical issue of plastic pollution affecting his home islands in Panama. Although Valiente's community is not responsible for generating this waste, they are inundated by plastic debris that washes ashore as a result of the relentless rise in sea levels. Through this initiative, Valiente seeks to raise awareness of the environmental crisis and advocates for a global plastics treaty to better manage waste and safeguard the Panamanian islands from further contamination.\"},{\"id\":\"ce33b929-3dc5-4d36-9d48-232aa05324c5\",\"content\":\"The name of the collection, Balam Noir<\\\/em>, meaning \\u201cBlack Jaguar\\u201d in a combination of Mayan and French, encapsulates the synergetic blend of tradition and modernity that defines the stylist\\u2019s vision. In Mayan culture, Balam<\\\/em> is a supernatural being associated with protection, particularly of villages and cornfields, and is revered as the god of agriculture. The word itself translates to \\u201cjaguar,\\u201d symbolizing power, strength, and guardianship in many Mesoamerican cultures. The inclusion of Noir<\\\/em>, the French word for \\u201cblack,\\u201d introduces a global influence. This fusion of Indigenous symbolism and Western sophistication mirrors the collection\\u2019s aim to merge traditional Guna artistry with contemporary fashion, while also emphasizing the cultural heritage and resilience of Indigenous communities.\"}]"},"categories":[6],"tags":[13,93,15,94,18],"class_list":["post-96","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-issue-3-fall-winter-2024","tag-climate-change","tag-eco-activism","tag-migration","tag-resilience","tag-textiles"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lacisreview.lacis.wisc.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/96","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lacisreview.lacis.wisc.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lacisreview.lacis.wisc.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lacisreview.lacis.wisc.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3828"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lacisreview.lacis.wisc.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=96"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/lacisreview.lacis.wisc.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/96\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":855,"href":"https:\/\/lacisreview.lacis.wisc.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/96\/revisions\/855"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lacisreview.lacis.wisc.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=96"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lacisreview.lacis.wisc.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=96"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lacisreview.lacis.wisc.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=96"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}