In this video Cristina Lucas explores the connection between cobalt in art, the body and the energy transition.
In art history, cobalt blue is a cherished and meaningful colour. Cobalt is also an essential element for the human body and indispensable in the current trajectory of the energy transition. Cobalamin (vitamin B12) is vital for the functioning of the body’s nervous system and the production of red blood cells and DNA.
Metals such as cobalt and lithium are essential for the energy transition because they are needed for batteries. As we phase out fossil fuels and switch to renewable energy sources, the enormous demand for these metals is increasing. However, their natural supply is finite, so the question is: where will these materials eventually come from? Space or the ocean floor?
Cristina Lucas (1973, Jaén, Spain) lives and works in Madrid. Lucas holds a degree in Fine Arts from the Complutense University of Madrid (1998). She completed a Master’s degree at the Irvine University of California and furthered her studies at the International Studio & Curatorial Program in New York (2003) and the Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten in Amsterdam (2006-2007). Cristina Lucas is a multidisciplinary artist, working with photography, video, drawings, sculpture and installations, in which she reflects upon the structures of power. Her work has been shown in numerous international group and solo exhibitions.
