Looking Outwards 05: 3D Computer Graphics

Artist: Stephan Martiniere, a concept illustrator and artist who’s created graphics for Avenger: Age of Ultron, Ready Player One, Avatar, Star Wars, and many other acclaimed films. He’s also produced 150+ book covers, comic book covers, and editorial illustrations for clients like National Geographic, Penguin and Random House, Pyr, etc.

Link to Artist’s Site: https://www.martiniere.com/portfolio

Link to article: https://archive.factordaily.com/cli-fi-science-fiction/

This piece of imagery was created for the book New York 2140 by Kim Stanley Robinson, which is set in a futuristic NYC that’s been flooded by rising sea level. I particularly like this piece of computer graphics because it helps people visualize the effects of climate change. Because the scope of climate change and its effects is so huge, for many of us, it’s hard to comprehend what the world will look like in 50, or even 10 years because of it. Not being able to comprehend the effects of climate change can result in either denying its existence, not doing anything about climate change (due to a feeling of helplessness), eco-anxiety, or taking tangible action. I think 3D computer graphics like this that depict how our world will look like with climate change will really help communicate the effects of climate change to people. This particular image is very optimistic and depicts a world in which we adapt to a changing Earth, so we could assume that the creator is optimistic about how humanity will adapt in the future. Pairing this piece with equally possible dystopian imagery would help show people what results from taking action now vs. not taking action now.

An interesting possibility would be to put together a project that exhibits an image of a current city, a produced image of how it’ll look in 50 years if we reduce carbon emissions by X amount by a certain time, and a produced image of how the city will look if we don’t reduce carbon emissions by X amount.