Exchanging Art for Advocacy: Vancouver Artist Holds Print Sale for Environmental Activism

by Taylor Neal

As we have seen over the past few months, the climate crisis is making itself abundantly visible here in our beautiful province of so-called BC - 95% of this land existing on stolen, unceded traditional First Nation’s territories. From devastating fires in the record-setting heat of summer, to landslides, flooding, and entire towns being evacuated, it is impossible to turn a blind eye to the destruction this ancestral land has undergone and the consequences of colonialism, greed and power which continue to inform the structure of society in Canada and inflict violence upon the indigenous people that have graced this land for generations. Our actions as settlers here, the actions of those before us and those among us who live from a place of domination rather than reconciliation, are no longer possible to ignore. Earth Mother is speaking up, loudly, her pleads for recognition and change have become demanding, powerful bellows, and we have no choice but to listen. For the love of the land, for the hope of peace and survival, we must act, we must come together, we must listen, we must change. Now.

Though many of us are left with feelings of overwhelm and helplessness when faced with tragedy of this scale, we must look to one another for support and guidance through this difficult time. Watching our home crumble, reflecting, taking inventory of our lifestyles and responsibility for our roles both individually and collectively, we must find strength in our communities and power in numbers. We must pool our resources, dig into our toolboxes and find ways to act in solidarity on a grassroots, self-driven level. We cannot rely on a top-down method of action from our governing bodies, we must move things here on the ground, in any little way that we can.

For one local artist, this has meant exchanging art for environmental advocacy. Taylor Neal (@nzzltea), Vancouver-based artist and writer, has decided to use their photography as a way of offering monetary support to several local non-profit environmental organizations by way of a Print Sale For Relief. Operating on a sliding-scale/donation basis, Taylor is offering fine-art prints of a collection of some of their favorite shots taken in beautiful BC “in awe of the land that is not mine, but which I humbly occupy and have the privilege to admire each day.”

The sale is being operated via the artist’s Instagram page (linked below) with instructions on how to order prints outlined in the caption of the sale posts. One has the ability to choose a photo(s) they’d like to bring home from a collection of 20 original, 35mm photographs, the amount they’d like to donate in return, and then select from three different local environmental organizations where they’d like to see their monetary support go.

Taylor will be accepting orders via Instagram until December 10th, at which point lump-sum donations will be made to the selected organizations. Perhaps a gift idea this holiday season could be sprung from the knowledge that with the purchase of some local photography, you are supporting both our BC environmental advocacy groups, and our local artists. After all, we are only stronger together.

Earth Mother is speaking, art is responding. Let’s come together, pool our resources, and respond by love.

Taylor Neal
She/They
taylorneal.ca
@nzzltea