A major new exhibition featuring world-renowned artists, photographers and voices from across the globe will open at the Eden Project in Cornwall this autumn.
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:
- Extinction - Travel back through Earth's history to explore what has been lost and what ancient landscapes can still teach us today. Highlights include Richard Deacon's sculpture created from the fossilised teeth of three vanished species, Emily Young's hauntingly beautiful carved stone face, which incorporates a 600,000-year-old hand axe, and David Nash's sculptures made from 800,000-year-old pinecones, alongside work from artists Andy Goldsworthy, Conrad Shawcross, Julian Stair, Eleanor Lakelin and Michael Pinsky.
- Climate - See our changing planet through the eyes of some of the world's leading environmental artists and documentary photographers. Featuring work by Sebastião Salgado, Daniel Beltrá, Richard Mosse, Cristina Mittermeier, Ami Vitale, Paul Nicklen, Michael Kenna, Bigert & Bergström, and Beverly Joubert.
- Community - Meet artists and communities working on the front lines of the climate crisis, from Mongolia, to Malaysia, Sudan, Iran, Papua New Guinea, Zimbabwe and beyond. Together, they share their stories of resilience, cultural heritage and the deep connection between people and nature. Featuring work from Rashid Diab, Jantsankhorol Erdenebayar, Nasim Hantehzadeh, Shaq Koyok, Gazellah Bruder, Tichaona Ncube and more.
- Renewal - Discover a renewed sense of hope through inspiring stories of communities restoring forests, recovering species, protecting ecosystems and finding new ways to live alongside nature. Featuring paintings and videos by Sophie Green, Gary Hodges, Emma Swift, Karen Laurence Rowe, Emily Lamb, Anne London and Luke Western. The exhibition concludes with a powerful spoken-word film voiced by Sir Stephen Fry, leaving visitors with a hopeful reminder that the future of the living planet is still ours to shape.
Misha Curson, senior curator at the Eden Project, said: “This exhibition brings together artists whose work reminds us that creativity is one of the most powerful tools for imagining a different future. At a moment when the scale of the planetary emergency can feel overwhelming, this exhibition asks visitors to look closely, reflect and find hope in renewal - because how we imagine the future shapes how we choose to build it. I'm hugely grateful to our partners for their generosity and vision in bringing this extraordinary collection together.
"As the Eden Project celebrates its 25th anniversary, this exhibition reflects the values that have guided Eden from the beginning: reconnecting people with nature and inspiring positive action for the planet."
