Mural by Brazilian Artist Mundano Highlights Urgent Climate Crisis

Mundano, a Brazilian artist and activist, created a large mural in São Paulo using materials from natural disasters to highlight climate change. The mural features imagery related to deforestation and drought in the Amazon, and includes messages aimed at Cargill, a major soybean producer. The artwork symbolizes environmental degradation and calls for accountability, particularly in light of recent severe weather events affecting the region.

Brazilian artist and activist Mundano has unveiled a monumental mural in São Paulo, aiming to draw attention to the pressing concern of climate change. The piece, which measures over 30 meters in height and 48 meters in width, was created using unconventional materials, including ash from wildfires and mud from recent floods. The mural visually narrates the repercussions of deforestation and severe droughts, particularly within the Amazon rainforest, showcasing the stark gray remains of trees on a cracked brown landscape due to extreme weather events that have devastated the region. In the mural, Indigenous activist Alessandra Korap is portrayed wearing a floral wreath and holding a placard that proclaims, “Stop the destruction keepyourpromise,” directed primarily at Cargill, a significant soybean producer based in the United States, whose agricultural practices are a key contributor to Amazon deforestation. Cargill has publicly committed to eradicating deforestation from its supply chain in Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay by 2025. Mundano’s message emphasizes the urgency for accountability, stating, “We are tired of being a country, a continent where we and the natural resources we have here are exploited. … We have to regenerate our planet instead of destroying it.” This sentiment encapsulates the collective frustration toward corporate practices that contribute to environmental degradation. The recent climate-related disasters in Brazil reinforce the urgency of Mundano’s message. This year has seen severe wildfires inflicting significant damage across protected areas of the Amazon, the Cerrado savanna, and the Pantanal wetland, adversely affecting air quality even in urban centers. Additionally, prolonged drought has raised alarming conditions nationwide, with the Brazilian disaster warning center, Cemaden, indicating this trend may persist into late October. Recent measurements of the Negro River in the Amazon revealed record low levels, underscoring the severity of the ongoing dry season, while earlier flooding in Rio Grande do Sul led to over 180 fatalities and displaced millions. Mundano, who identifies as an “artivist”—a fusion of artist and activist—crafted this mural with materials gathered from sites impacted by flooding and fires in Brazil’s forests and wetlands. The artist’s previous works include similar initiatives that spotlight climate change, affirming his commitment to environmental advocacy through art. Mundano concluded by highlighting the interconnected nature of climate phenomena, declaring in a recent Instagram post, “From floods to droughts, everything is connected!” This mural is now recognized as his largest artistic endeavor to date. This initiative reinforces the role of art as a catalyst for social and environmental change in contemporary society.

The ongoing issue of climate change has intensified, particularly as it manifests through severe weather patterns affecting various regions of Brazil, including the Amazon rainforest. This area is experiencing unprecedented levels of deforestation due to agricultural practices, especially soybean farming, promoted by companies like Cargill. The economic activities contribute significantly to environmental degradation, prompting artists and activists alike to raise awareness through impactful visual expressions. Mundano’s mural serves not only as a piece of art but as a powerful statement urging collective responsibility and action against corporations engaged in exploitative practices harming the environment.

In conclusion, Mundano’s large-scale mural in São Paulo serves as a poignant reminder of the consequences of climate change, particularly the devastating effects of deforestation and drought in the Amazon rainforest. Through the use of salvaged materials from natural disasters, the artwork becomes a powerful protest against corporate exploitation of natural resources, specifically targeting Cargill’s role in this crisis. It encapsulates the urgency for accountability and collective action, reinforcing the message that environmental issues are intrinsically linked and require immediate attention and remediation.

Original Source: learningenglish.voanews.com