Sir David Attenborough turned 99 earlier this month, a moment that has sparked both celebration and reflection across the globe. For Australians in particular – many of whom grew up with his voice narrating the world’s wonders – Attenborough’s birthday offers an opportunity to honour his impact not just on science and conservation but also on art and cultural consciousness. His messages around oceans resonate with countless Australians.
In 2023, Australian artist Janet Laurence explicitly cited Attenborough as a touchstone for her multi-sensory installation Elixir Lab, which sought to ‘activate ecological grief as a creative catalyst’. The exhibition joined a growing body of work exploring ‘eco-emotion’ – a term now embedded in curatorial lexicons worldwide.
