Seven Deadly Sins and Environmental Degradation

OAS AMA F Street Gallery
1889 F Street NW
Washington, DC 20006

On view by appointment: fgoncalves@oas.org

List of artists:
Elizabeth Chiles
Yisak Choi
Esha Chiocchio
Frazier King
Jann Rosen-Queralt
Joel Simpson
Jamey Stillings

The world seems to be mired in difficulties: wars, domestic violence, gun violence, political instability, climate catastrophe.  While all these problems urgently deserve attention, the last problem, climate, is one which threatens the very existence of humanity and demands our immediate attention. One wonders what can be done.  How does one begin to think about the environment and climate change, to process what has happened, and to understand the scope of the damage and, thereby, begin to understand what must be done in the future?  Is it possible to go back to the basics and find answers?

But what are the basics?  Can we go back to the childhood of humanity and to our own childhood for the key?  Don't the basics just involve understanding human nature?  And isn't understanding human nature been the struggle from the very beginning?  We know that out of the cradle of civilization grew what we in western culture now call The Seven Deadly Sins. Will this formulation of the ills of human nature help or give us answers? If we understand the nature of human foibles, which have been the way into the problem, will we also understand the way out?

These seven sins; envy, gluttony, greed, lust, pride, sloth, wrath; are called deadly because they kill the humanity in us when they occur. But, does this idea apply today? To each of us? To society? To enterprises of all sizes?  To big issues and policies?  To big projects?  To big politicians?  Should the Seven Deadly Sins matter.  Should they raise questions to which answers will have impacts on the environment?

-Frazier King

Please find below link to views of the installation and images of the gallery talk, photos by Rafa Cruz:
https://rafacruz.smugmug.com/Seven-Deadly-Sins-Opening/n-BCSnx2

Accessibility: The OAS AMA F Street Gallery is wheelchair accessible by the elevator at ground level just beyond the entrance. Restrooms are wheelchair accessible. For more information on accessibility, please contact 202 370 0147 or artmus@oas.org