Reclaiming Abundance Bruck an der Mur, Artist Oliver Ressler

commissioned for Steiermarkschau 2021, Kunsthaus Graz

The six photographic works comprising the series “Reclaiming Abundance” are deeply marked by the social reality of the climate crisis. Fossil fuel-dependent infrastructure across Styria was photographed using a drone: the Graz Airport, an abattoir/meat-packing plant, the Mellach gas/thermal power station, the Magna Steyr automotive works, the Bruck an der Mur Autobahn interchange, and a ski jump facility.

The series sets out to imagine a situation where global temperatures have continued to rise and disasters have multiplied accordingly. If climate collapse is to be avoided, all the infrastructure shown must become obsolete by 2050. At the same time, however, the structural transformation required for a carbon-neutral society has already begun, building on the principles of democratic participation and global climate justice. The images here also seek to imagine how the region might adapt before 2050 to new forms of resource use and human activity.