The Brooklyn non-profit space Pioneer Works is hosting an exhibition titled "How to Get to Zero" by artists Tega Brain and Sam Lavigne, which features climate-themed interactive installations. The centerpiece, "Cold Call" (2023), invites visitors to call fossil fuel executives using a script designed to keep them on the line as long as possible, while "Offset" (2023-25) offers a satirical carbon offset marketplace where credits are purchased for dissident acts like deflating SUV tires. Other works include "Perfect Sleep" (2021), which encourages rest as a form of anti-productivity climate action, and "Synthetic Messenger" (2021), which uses cell phones to boost climate journalism engagement.
This exhibition matters because it challenges the notion that art is powerless in addressing climate change, using humor and absurdity to critique the often technical and boring discourse around net-zero emissions. By blurring the line between real and fictional solutions, Brain and Lavigne engage audiences in serious conversations about climate activism, sabotage, and the shortcomings of carbon offsetting schemes. The show reflects a growing trend of artists creating participatory, interventionist works that aim to have tangible impact beyond the gallery walls.