Thijs Biersteker on Eco-Art, Big Data, and Climate Change

Thijs Biersteker, an interactive designer and artist, participated in Meet The Media Guru's series on Art and Science + Technology, which concluded on July 29. MEET, the digital culture research center, became a Regional STARTS Center under the European Commission's Horizon 2020 program. Biersteker's work bridges new technologies and nature, focusing on climate change. He describes himself as an 'awareness artist' rather than an eco-artist, emphasizing clear messaging over open interpretation. His installation 'Plastic Reflectic' uses ocean waste to mirror visitors, creating empathy. 'Symbiosa,' created with neurobiologist Stefano Mancuso, visualizes tree data at Fondation Cartier's 'Trees' exhibition until November 10. 'Voice of Nature' was shown in Chengdu, China in 2018. His upcoming 'Polut Ends' addresses cigarette butt pollution, using data from the World Health Organization showing 2.3 trillion cigarettes smoked annually in China, with 67% discarded in nature. One butt pollutes 150 liters of water, killing 50% of marine organisms in one hour. Biersteker aims to make climate change tangible and personal.