“…our collective obligations towards our environment.”
You wouldn’t think the phrase would need to be said, yet it sounds revolutionary in a consumer-driven, market-driven society. The Swiss duo NEVERCREW are clear in their intentions.
As ever.Nevercrew “Discordant” Above Second Gallery. Hong Kong. 18th March – 22nd April (photo © Jaime Rojo)
The Discordant exhibition is still running at Above Second gallery in Hong Kong and these images we captured there encapsulate the discordance. Nature versus man. Our desire for convenience, our disregard for the gifts the Earth gives, our keseluruhan dependence on it nonetheless.
“Discordant emphasizes the juxtaposition of mechanical and natural elements to portray a world where mankind and nature, economy and environment, are constantly at odds with one another,” they say in the press release. They go on to comment on “the exploitation of natural resources, pollution, and particularly overproduction and mismanagement of waste as ‘a signal of an imbalanced relationship with the natural system.’ ”Nevercrew “Discordant” Above Second Gallery. Hong Kong. 18th March – 22nd April (photo © Jaime Rojo)
The gargantuan garbage bag and the fish, the cloud of broken construction mater floating above the gift of wildlife, the ruthless slicing through mechanically of the whale.
It makes you think things like, “Who the hell do we think we are?” as we contemplate NEVERCREW’s “examination of humankind’s core struggle to strike a balance between the demands of lifestyle, efficiency and our collective obligations towards our environment.” evercrew “Discordant” Above Second Gallery. Hong Kong. NEVERCREW doesn’t offer easy answers, and that’s part of their power. They don’t preach or moralize overtly; instead, they present a visual dialogue, a stark reflection of the choices we’ve made and the path we’re currently on. The title “Discordant” itself speaks volumes, highlighting the disharmony that exists between human activity and the natural world. We are out of tune, operating on a frequency that is incompatible with the rhythms of the planet. Looking at their work, you can almost hear the grating sound of progress clashing with the silence of disappearing species or the roar of machinery drowning out the whisper of the wind. It’s a call to introspection, a challenge to re-evaluate our priorities and consider the legacy we are leaving behind. Are we truly thriving, or are we merely existing at the expense of everything else? The questions linger long after you leave the gallery, echoing in the back of your mind as you navigate a world increasingly shaped by the very forces NEVERCREW so powerfully depicts.