"Art and Climate: Environmental Art in Massachusetts," Zube Panel Discussion
Content
Join UMass LARP for a Zube Lecture Series panel discussion featuring inspiring land and environmental artists based in Massachusetts. This event will be held on Thursday, October 8th, at 4:00 p.m. in the John W. Olver Design Building Lecture Hall (room 170). Admission is free and open to the public. Snacks and drinks will be provided.
A recording of this lecture will be posted to UMass LARP's YouTube channel after the event.
About the Discussion
How do we process the silent, complex, and often overwhelming realities of climate change in the landscapes we call home? From projected sea level rise along Boston’s coastlines to the invisible, escalating threat of urban extreme heat, the impacts of climate change in Massachusetts require new forms of translation—not just for our intellects, but for our emotions and senses.
Join environmental artists Carolina Aragón and Sebastian González Quintero for an inspiring discussion exploring how site-specific art, digital technology, and public participation can transform abstract scientific data into immersive human experiences. Together, Aragón and González Quintero present a series of temporary art installations across Massachusetts that confront climate vulnerabilities while sparking dialogue around equitable resilience and human agency. This panel is organized by UMass LARP and the University Museum of Contemporary Art at UMass Amherst.
About the Panelists
Sebastian Gonzalez’s work focuses on climate change and environmental issues using moving image, interactive media, and sound. His work has been presented in exhibitions in Colombia and the United States, as well as in the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale. As a PhD student in Interdisciplinary Design and Media at Northeastern University, Sebastian explores the potential of the underwater acoustic environment of urban rivers as an ecological indicator and its role in environmental communication.
Carolina Aragón is an associate professor of landscape architecture at UMass LARP. She is the artist behind several award-winning climate art projects, including HEAT BLOOMS (2025), sWARM (2024), and HIGH TIDE (2016), which was featured in the U.S. Fifth National Climate Assessment, Art x Climate Gallery. She is also the founder of Art for Public Good, a group that engages with scientists, community groups, civic agencies, schools, and youth organizations to co-create art projects to bring better understanding and provide actionable paths for addressing environmental and health challenges.