Caroline Kushel

The Climate Changing Room

Project Description

The Climate Changing Room came to fruition as part of The Senior Reflection, a capstone series at Stanford University dedicated to the intersection of art and science. Designed, created, and directed by Caroline Kushel, this project seeks to highlight different aspects of climate change in the hopes of promoting a global environmental reckoning. The past several decades of negligence on the part of world governments has landed us in nothing short of a complete climate crisis. The disastrous effects of this crisis are undeniable, and yet their impact on human beings remains disputed in many circles. By depicting three aspects of anthropogenic climate change – sea level rise, forest fires, and carbon emissions – through the lens of fashion, The Climate Changing Room displays the ultimate inseparability of climate change and the body. Unlike traditional media forms that allow the viewer to separate themselves from what is being represented, fashion forces a merge between the two. By portraying the body enveloped in crisis, this project invites its audience to confront the terrifying reality of climate change.

About the Artist

Caroline Kushel is a master's student in the Stanford School of Earth. She is interested in climate science and broader environmental issues and hopes to further a career in environmental education. Caroline is an avid sewer who enjoys adding pieces to her own wardrobe as well as crafting pieces for art and activism. She was inspired to create The Climate Changing Room by combining her love of sustainable fashion with her passion for environmental science and hopes that her audience will be moved to take action for the planet after exploring this project.

Explore Caroline's project online