“As an artist, I feel a moral imperative to preserve the images of our shared dystopic present with the hope that something will one day change.”
– Robert Longo

Renowned for his monumental hyper-realistic drawings, American artist Robert Longo creates captivating charcoal works with striking visual intensity. His motifs often depict dramatic moments at their peak of tension, appearing photorealistic from afar yet abstract and conceptual up close. Above all, Longo’s work explores the representation of power—in nature, politics, and history.

Longo’s mastery of scale and chiaroscuro (the interplay of light and dark) adds emotional depth to his intimate, monochromatic works. Through his meticulous charcoal technique, he captures moments we might otherwise miss, revealing the beauty and complexity of the world around us.

Driven by a deep concern for the long-term impact of human activity on nature, Longo has created several series addressing environmental issues, particularly the threats faced by endangered species. His art not only celebrates the wonders of nature but also serves as a powerful call to action against climate change. Longo’s work challenges us to see the world anew, urging us to confront the urgent need to protect our planet.

‘Still Life (Blue Glass),' 2024, by artist duo Elmgreen & Dragset speaks to the fragile state of life — and our responsibility to protect it.

In 'Still Life,' a child’s hands extend from a wall, holding a sparrow. The bird appears defenseless, while the child’s glass, sculptural hands remain motionless. This powerful piece evokes a deep sense of urgency, yet ultimately leaves us feeling powerless to intervene.

Elmgreen & Dragset often challenge the viewer with surreal, thought-provoking installations, inviting reflection on how we perceive and project our imaginations onto landscapes. They frequently combine urban and natural elements in innovative ways, exploring the complex relationship between humans and nature.

‘Still Life’ serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of considering our role in protecting nature, even when it feels like our efforts are not enough.

“Water is not a landscape — it is the condition of all life, the first skin of the Earth, the medium of our becoming..”
– Julian Charrière

In his solo exhibition 'Midnight Zone' at Museum Tinguely (2025), French-Swiss artist Julian Charrière invites us to reimagine our relationship with water — not just as a natural element, but as the very foundation of life itself. Through his work, Charrière explores how the world’s seas, lakes, and ice serve as habitats for countless organisms and are crucial to the stability of our climate.

At the heart of the exhibition is Charrière's 'Midnight Zone' (2024), a film shot using a remotely operated deep-sea vehicle. The film features a lighthouse Fresnel lens — typically used to guide ships from afar — inverted and lowered into the ocean’s depths. As it descends, the journey becomes a meditation on our complex relationship with the oceans.

Charrière’s work reminds us that the ocean is not the opposite of land, but its very precondition — the birthplace of life. Through image, sound, and elemental choreography, Midnight Zone allows the ocean to speak, pulse, and breathe.

Edward Burtynsky is one of the world’s most accomplished photographers, whose powerful imagery has explored humanity’s impact on the planet for over 40 years.

Burtynsky’s large-scale aerial photographs reveal the sublime, surreal beauty of human-altered landscapes, while also exposing the profound environmental cost of global consumerism. China has long been a central focus of his work, particularly its rapid industrialisation and transformation into a global manufacturing powerhouse.

His latest exhibition, ’China in Africa,’ on view at Flowers Gallery in Hong Kong, highlights China’s expanding industrial footprint across the African continent. The series contrasts high-tech mega-factories in China—such as BYD’s battery plant in Jiangsu province—with more labour-intensive production sites in Africa.

Captured between 2018 and late 2024, ‘China in Africa’ reflects Burtynsky’s ongoing engagement with the infrastructures of extraction, energy, and logistics. The artist says, “I’m bearing witness, in some ways, to show you the scale of the march of globalisation.” 

Marguerite Humeau is an artist whose work challenges us to look beyond the present and imagine the future of life on Earth. Her visionary practice offers alternative narratives about possible ways of coexisting here on Earth, where humankind no longer takes center stage, and the boundaries between life forms begin to blur.

“There are forms of life that will survive us. How can we take them as our guides or companions to understand how to navigate our own futures?” — Marguerite Humeau

Humeau’s art bridges the ancient past and speculative futures through collaborations with scientists, anthropologists, and even clairvoyants. Drawing inspiration from the complex societies of insects like ants, bees, and termites, she imagines what might happen if other species—such as elephants—became the dominant force on Earth, or if humans evolved into collective beings in harmony with all life forms.