Opening to the public today, 18 September, at the Eden Project in Cornwall, Extinction: Renewal, Art of a Living Planet is a major new year-long exhibition featuring world-renowned artists, photographers and voices from across the globe.
Created by the conservation charity Explorers Against Extinction, in collaboration with more than 35 global artists, Extinction: Renewal, Art of a Living Planet explores humanity's relationship with a changing world, from prehistoric time, through the present and into the future.
Bringing together sculpture, photography, film and contemporary art, including newly-commissioned works never before seen in public, this brand new exhibition invites audiences to journey through four connected zones, Extinction, Climate, Community and Renewal, which together convey a powerful story of loss, resilience and hope.
Highlights include:
Jon Foreman – Stone Moon (2024)
Recreated onsite at Eden, Stone Moon is a striking large-scale installation by acclaimed land artist Jon Foreman. Formed from red sandstone collected from the Pembrokeshire coast, the work reflects the natural forces of erosion and change shaping Britain's landscapes. Installed within the Rainforest Biome, it provides a dramatic visual focal point while inviting visitors to reflect on themes of impermanence, renewal and our connection to the natural world.
Richard Deacon – Long in the Tooth (2023)
Bringing together art, archaeology and deep time, Long in the Tooth incorporates fossilised teeth from extinct species mounted on ancient wood recovered from a prehistoric flooded forest. The work creates a striking dialogue between lost worlds, inviting visitors to reflect on the remarkable stories preserved within the Earth's oldest materials.
Emily Young – The Connection: A Meeting of Minds (2023)
A powerful meeting of past and present, The Connection: A Meeting of Minds incorporates a 600,000-year-old hand axe crafted by Homo heidelbergensis, an early human ancestor. By weaving this extraordinary artefact into the sculpture, Young creates a thought-provoking link across millennia, exploring humanity's enduring relationship with creativity, craftsmanship and the natural world.
David Nash – Faraway Trees (2024)
Renowned for his longstanding exploration of wood and landscape, Nash's Faraway Trees features prehistoric pinecones dating back approximately 800,000 years. These rare natural relics add another dimension to the work, connecting contemporary artistic expression with the ancient forests that once shaped our environment.
Eleanor Lakelin – Pine Studies (2024)
Crafted using pine resin from an extraordinary 875,000-year-old pine discovered at Happisburgh Beach, Pine Studies reflects Eleanor Lakelin's fascination with time, transformation and the stories contained within natural materials. The sculpture connects visitors with one of Britain's oldest surviving traces of prehistoric woodland, revealing the enduring beauty and resilience of the natural world.
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