‘Below2°’: An artwork that is melting

A five-foot globe constructed from 1,000 repurposed golf balls is hand-painted by schoolchildren to symbolise the generation inheriting the planet (Source: PR Handout)

Ranison states, “Art moves people in ways data and reports cannot, as it speaks to human emotions. Below2° is a visual, emotional and scientific representation of our planet’s crisis and the urgent need for action.” Founder of Greener Earth Foundation and author of I’m A Climate Optimist, he adds, “For seven years, I have created climate art installations across India to spark dialogue, and this project continues that journey.”

Surrounding the globe are 14 endangered species from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, including the Siberian Crane, African Forest Elephant and Hawksbill Turtle.

Surrounding the globe are 14 endangered species from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, including the African Forest Elephant (Source: PR Handout)

The artwork also has climate stripes, inspired by climatologist Ed Hawkins’ iconic climate stripes that chronicle Earth’s temperature changes over five decades, depicting the rapid escalation of global warming — with the colours shifting from blue to deep red. Meanwhile, as the wax drips, the urgency of the devastating situation will sink in.