Whether a given culture is sophisticated or not depends on if it leaves any room for art, dialogues and diversity. Through music, literature, drama, movies and new technologies, we will find some most powerful ways to help us establish strong social bonds and constructive relationships with people from drastically different backgrounds.

At the British Council, we strive to support people from all walks of life to engage and get involved with the diversity, the depth and breadth of UK arts and culture. And it's our job to work hard to support the work that explores global challenges of our time not just present them but also explores them through art. For example our changing relationship with the environment, which is so beautifully expressed through Celyn’s work. 

And we really want to support work that helps to open a conversation about issues such as aging societies, disability and mental health and wellbeing. And the reason we want to do that is because these are shared global challenges. And if we work with our partners we can find better creative solutions to overcoming some of these major challenges together.

The global pandemic has led to increased isolation for people around the world. And the rising unpredictability of global weather systems has brough the foreground issue that are now of great concern. These issues affect our sense of security and safety and our well-being. 

These challenges, particularly climate changes are global challenges that will affect us all. It’s only through collaboration that we could work towards a more inclusive and sustainable way of living.  

I trust that artists document our times. And stay with our partner Winland group we have the pleasure of sharing with you the work by the artist Celyn Bricker who thinks deeply about human relations with the planet. 

Director Arts, China, British Council

Counsellor (Culture and the Arts), Cultural and Education Section of the British Embassy

This exhibition explores two tops – climate change and AI – which are two key decisive elements in future society. 

The name of this exhibition the fifth season responds to the theme. As climate change goes on, we might experience a new season. And at the same time, seasons like spring and winter are often used in description for technology evolvement. 

So when I had the idea to use the‘5th season’to describe this potential future, I thought I was suggesting something new. As it happened, in my research, I discovered that the idea of the 5th season was actually very old. In traditional Chinese thought there are actually 5 seasons, not 4. In addition to spring, summer, autumn and winter, in the traditional chinese system there was also ‘long summer’ -which is more or less now. In this way there was also an unexpected connection to Chinese culture in the process of making the exhibition. 

In this exhibition I’m bringing together a range of works, ranging from interactive  digital pieces, to paintings that are able to clean the air, and experimental prototypes for glass to prevent bird collisions with buildings. The content of many of these works were inspired by a journey my wife and I took in 2019, traveling across East Africa, the Middle East, Europe, the UK and India. All along this journey, we saw the impact of climate change and biodiversity loss on the communities we met. It was this experience that led us to form CELU studio, an art and design studio focused on using art to communicate or potentially solve environmental issues.

With the UK hosting COP26 in Glasgow, as an artist I think it is important to try and use art to help people to think about our relationship with the natural world.

British Visual Artist