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The Industrial Revolution marked a new chapter of history: New technologies were emerging, populations were burgeoning, and the looks ofÌýcitiesÌýwere changing. Although economies were blossoming and cities were bustling, the surge of industrialization gave rise to a modern phenomenon: pollution.ÌýFrom fascination to repulsion, let’s take a look at the artistic take on this topic.

Claude Monet:

As London began modernizing in the nineteenth century, the city grew at a rapid speed and pollution beganÌýcreeping up in all facets ofÌýlife.ÌýClaude Monet, a leading figure of the ImpressionistÌýmovement, first visited London in 1870Ìýand painted various scenes of parks and the River Thames. Fascinated by the effects of fog his focus lied in depicting the atmospheric haze. Monet wrote, “I love London. It is a mass, an ensemble, and it is so simple…in London, what I love, above all, is the fog.”

Umberto Boccioni:

Futurism celebrated all things technology and modernity: the metropolis was the Futurists’ haven.ÌýTheir environment was one of war and technological advancements, which led artists to take a very violent, aggressive and forceful approach towards their work.ÌýTo Boccioni, the steam from the trains and the exhaust from the automobiles were not threats to health nor to the environment, but symbols of movement and progress.

Charles Sheeler:

Sheeler, associated with , drew upon Futurism and Cubism to capture the grandeur of American industrial life. The idyllic representation of the Ford Motor Company Plant near Detroit, is a celebration of industrialization’s creation ofÌýa new, lucrative American landscape. The lack of human presence in this image highlights technology’s supremacy in the modern environment.

Robert Smithson:

Spiral JettyÌý—Ìýa 1,500 feet long and 15 feet wide coil made from black basalt and earthÌý— was created by Smithson in a red-colored, polluted section of the Great Salt LakeÌýthat had beenÌýcut off from fresh water supplies 1959.ÌýThis site-specific work is part of , a movementÌýlinking art toÌýthe landscape it is produced in. The dependence of the work on the surrounding environment parallels human dependence on nature andÌýhighlights the importance of livingÌýwithÌýthe earth instead of forcing yourself upon it.

Robert Rauschenberg:

With 172 governments and 2,400 representatives of NGO’s in attendance, the 1992 Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro was an unprecedented event in the history of UN conferences. The challenge at hand? How to stop the damage of our planet due to pollution and the overconsumptionÌýof finite natural resources.Ìý¸é´Ç²ú±ð°ù³ÙÌý¸é²¹³Ü²õ³¦³ó±ð²Ô²ú±ð°ù²µ was not only an artist but an environmentalist who believed that each living individual has a responsibility to protect mother nature. He created thisÌýwork to raise awareness about the UN summit and to illustrateÌýthe struggle to simultaneously accept what we have done to this planet andÌýtoÌýhope for a better future.

ÌýWhat are your favorite art works on this topic? Let us know in your comments!