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Last month, a man disguised as an old woman was sitting brazenly in a wheelchair. Cream cake on top of Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous work, Mona Lisa. The painting, which hangs in the Louvre Museum in Paris, was hidden behind bulletproof glass and was unharmed. Yet why would visitors to the world and the Louvre attack one of the most iconic (and valuable) artworks ever painted?

The cake-smeared criminal was taken away by Louvre security (and later arrested and placed in psychiatric care), attributed a message to his vandalism: “Think of the world,” he said. “There are people who are destroying the world. Think about it… all artists, think about Earth – that’s why I did it. Think of the planet.”

Although the Louvre attack did not cause any lasting damage, it strikingly revealed the relationship between art, the art industry and the environment.

Compared to much larger “cultural industries” like fashion and entertainment, the art world’s role in environmental concerns like climate change is relatively modest. But in this lucrative and rare land, galleries, auction houses, trade shows, collectors, institutions and artists are increasingly committed to sustainable business practices to help fight global warming. The subject was among those discussed by the speakers recently. Art for Tomorrow A conference was held in Athens in partnership with The New York Times.

“The art world may be relatively small, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be sustainable,” said co-founder Heath Lowndes. Gallery Climate Coalitionprovides guidelines for arts institutions to increase sustainability. “We have the opportunity to set standards for environmental responsibility that has the potential to influence and reach large audiences.”

Only two years old, the Gallery Climate Coalition has more than 800 members from the arts industry committed to its mission to reduce carbon emissions by at least 50 percent by 2030, in line with the Paris Climate Agreements.

The timing of this rising environmental awareness appropriate. This year, for the first time, issues related to sustainability, Top 10 concerns for “High Net Worth Collectors” Respondents surveyed as part of the annual Art Basel/UBS Art Market Report.

For example, around 70 percent of collectors now consider “sustainability options” when purchasing art or managing their collections; 64 percent are interested in reducing their personal travel to arts-related events, and 68 percent are open to using more environmentally responsible delivery methods when sending their artwork.

Victoria Siddall, former global director of the Frieze Art Fair and co-founder of the Global Climate Coalition, said that despite the dominance of high-profile institutions like the Louvre, the art world is actually mostly made up of small businesses and galleries. speakers at the conference.

While they may routinely collaborate, these businesses typically work independently with several official “regulatory agencies, organizational tools or resources” to ensure sustainability, Ms Siddall said.

The coalition seeks to bridge this gap, particularly through digital tools such as the “Carbon Calculator”, which helps members estimate their carbon footprint and calculate greenhouse gas emission levels. Measuring emissions is key, he added. “If you can’t measure, you can’t reduce.”

Besides travel, the transport of art from galleries to art fairs, from art fairs to collections, from collections to museums is a major contributor to industry emissions, particularly air transport. According to the coalition, the art of shipping by air, which remains the industry standard, results in 10 times the environmental impact of land transportation and 60 times the impact of shipping by sea.

Despite the climate’s benefits, convincing both art producers and consumers to forego air transport – and the obvious speed advantages – proved challenging.

“Art is a luxury commodity and expectations of customer service have always come with it,” said Mr. Lowndes. And even with exhibition and art event calendars scheduled years, if not decades, in advance, logistics considerations in the industry remain surprisingly last-minute.

But supply chain issues — and cost increases of up to 10 times pre-pandemic levels for air transport – it has reduced the attractiveness of air travel and opened minds to maritime transport. open them further It is a new partnership between Christie’s auction house and fine arts logistics firm Crozier. The two firms have launched a monthly shipping service between London and New York and a bimonthly service between London and Hong Kong.

“The plan will reduce carbon emissions by 80 percent compared to air travel,” said Tom Woolston, Christie’s head of global operations.

To lure consumers, Crozier is developing a fleet of steel and aluminum shipping containers with temperature controls, humidity and shock monitors, and custom cooling systems designed specifically to secure the artworks.

Journeys between London and New York take approximately 20 days; 40 between London and Hong Kong, and Crozier will soon try a New York-Hong Kong route. “These are our highest volume routes,” said Mr. Woolston.

Christie’s has committed to filling 60 percent of each container to ensure the viability of the pilot program. The remainder can be used by any Crozier customer interested in shipping by sea, including small-scale art firms that are committed to sustainability but cannot afford such a service on their own.

As with Christie’s, the new shipping plan is part of a larger company-wide sustainability move at Crozier, said Simon Hornby, Crozier Senior Vice President and Managing Director Europe. This strategy includes the development of recyclable packaging materials; a new rental program to keep safes in circulation; and a new fleet of electric distribution vehicles in Europe.

Mr. Hornby acknowledges that not every gallery or collector will be willing to wait weeks, rather than hours, for artwork to be delivered. “There’s definitely the ‘instant gratification’ aspect,” he said. However, he said the new system “offers enough information, data and reliability to help customers shift into a more climate-conscious mindset.”

Although complex in design and implementation, operational transitions, such as the transition from air freight to sea freight, are relatively simple.

“They’re lowly fruits,” said its founder and director, Luise Faurschou. ART 2030a Copenhagen-based nonprofit that partners with individual artists and arts organizations to advance United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Equally important – but more difficult to implement – ​​are efforts to increase sustainability in the ways art is produced, distributed, and ultimately experienced.

For example, instead of constantly holding resource-intensive exhibitions, “museums can choose to extend exhibitions longer or include more works from their own collections,” he said. “breathe with me” Climate action and climate action in Central Park by Danish artist Jeppe Hein The UN’s Sustainable Climate Goals.

“Of course, it takes planning,” said Ms. Faurschou, “but ultimately what is needed is a whole ‘new normal’.

Part of this ‘new normal’ is played out at global art fairs like Art Basel and Frieze, which not only consume massive amounts of carbon-emitting fuel, but also offer opportunities to showcase sustainable practices to open-minded audiences.

In 2019, Mrs. Siddall, Frieze switched to Green D, a new type of fuel – made from vegetable oil waste – to power the London fair. Ms Siddall said this move resulted in a 90 percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions compared to conventional fuels. Reusable carpets, tents and stand walls were also included in the frieze fairs. At Art Basel, “approximately 94.2 percent of overall energy requirements powered by renewable energies” A spokesperson for Art Basel said:.

Industry watchers said the biggest impact on sustainability will ultimately come from the art’s creators, collectors and viewers.

Individual leaders have already emerged: Icelandic-Danish artist Olafur Eliasson, for example, announced that his studio has virtually eliminated all air transport and individual air travel. becomes carbon neutral within ten years. Artists Gary Hume and Tino Shehgal They also adopted a “no-fly zone” approach in their practice.

Ultimately, the “greenest” form of art transportation will not be transportation, a model implemented during the coronavirus pandemic with the rise of virtual auctions and fairs.

While the art world has returned to many of its pre-pandemic ways, Daniel Birnbaum, former director of Stockholm Moderna Museet and current director and curator of the virtual and augmented reality arts organization Acute Artsaid humble action can still make a big difference.

“What is needed is a more ‘localized’ approach to art,” he said. “Focus on exhibitions or shows in your home city or the nearby countryside. Because you no longer have to fly halfway around the world just to see a great work of art at a cocktail party.”