ernest zacharevic tackles the effects of palm oil farming with art campaign

across the vast landscape of sumatra — a large island in western indonesia — artist ernest zacharevic has curated an awareness campaign that responds creatively to unregulated farming practices of palm oil. the ongoing project ‘splash and burn’ brings together an international class of creatives to tackle issues of transboundary haze, deforestation, and human and animal displacement through urban murals and sculptures. among the array is isaac cordal’s miniature figures in crisis, pixel pancho’s hybrid robotic-organic universe, and ernest zacharevic’s own artistic interventions within the landscape.

ernest zacharevic in medan | photo by hype media

zacharevic spent the last two years actively researching the issue of conflict palm oil — a controversial topic that receives a great deal of media attention in moments of crisis, but very little in the months between the burning seasons. after scouting locations and connecting with experts in the field, zacharevic curated a host of international artists to participate in the awareness campaign, who have been donating their time and creativity to the cause. participating creatives include mark jenkins, axel void, pixel pancho, isaac cordal, strøk, gabriel pitcher and bibichun, with contributions from smane 2, combat, and reginald o’niel.

ernest zacharevic in medan | photo by ernest zacharevic

‘splash and burn’ is collaborating with a number of local and international NGOs including london-based charity SOS and indonesia-based NGO OIC. with global consumption increasing beyond the need to conserve our impact on our environment, the project aims to introduce a new perspective to the issue of palm oil farming. using art as a conversation starter, zacharevic offers a creative platform for organizations and NGOs fighting for positive change, while bridging the gap between the corruption surrounding the industry and the wider consciousness of the global consumer.

ernest zacharevic in bukit lawang | photo by ernest zacharevic