Retooling: Art, Ecology, and Climate Adaptation

September 22 - October 11 2026

Featured artists and speakers: Alex Nathanson, Casey Ivanovich, Denise Lanzieri, Edward Morris, Esteban Agosin, Frederick Bernas & Nico Munoz, Gesche Würfel, Joaquin Fargas, Katie Fisher, Laura Splan, Luis Medina, Mari Nagem, Marina Komiya, Mary Mattingly, Morakana, Peter Yeadon & SPARK IP, Serena Wessely, Thiago Hersan.

Curated by: Elena Soterakis (BioBAT Art Space), Isabella Indolfi & Paige King (MESH_ARTS)

What happens when artwork shifts from representing ecological problems to functioning as an ecological tool?

Retooling: Art, Ecology, and Climate Adaptation is a three-week exhibition and public program featuring talks and community workshops. During Climate Week NYC, and for the following two weeks, MESH_ARTS, in collaboration with BioBAT Art Space, presents an exhibition highlighting innovative practices that have generated tools around shade equity, atmospheric adaptation (transforming sunlight into water), making imperceptible systems tangible, and other creative conversions that help aid. The exhibition considers artistic practice as a way for building ecological infrastructure and public pedagogy, where interdisciplinary collaboration gives rise to new forms of environmental literacy and civic imagination. This program demonstrates how creative collaboration can cultivate environmental literacy, build shared infrastructure, and connect artistic practice with climate action.

Artists and creative researchers are working across disciplines to engage with ecological challenges, creating tools that expand how we understand and respond to climate change. They’re repositioning the focus from artist as producer to artist as facilitator, educator, and infrastructure builder. Increasingly, these interdisciplinary practices have generated new forms of collective knowledge, action, and tool-making.

Through collaborations across art, science, engineering, and technology, they transform empirical research into new ways of operating. Esteban Agosin, Joaquin Fargas, Laura Splan, Mari Nagem, Morakana, Peter Yeadon & SPARK IP, work with natural forces rather than simply represent them. Embedded in their practice is a bridge to speculative propositions, learning, and possible futures. Their creative outcomes are ecological, accessible, and pedagogical, generating tangible tools that foster connective participation and action.


RETOOLING PUBLIC PROGRAM

​Exhibition hours: Thu/Fri/Sat 1:00-6:00pm

​Tuesday 22 Sep

  • ​6:00-9:00 pm _ Exhibition opening

​Saturday 26 Sep

​Sunday 27 Sep

​Sunday 4 Oct

  • ​4:00-5:00 pm _ Talk: Esteban Agosin (artist) + Luis Medina (scientist)

  • ​5:30-6:30 pm _ Talk:  Morakana (artist) + Serena Wessly (Genspace Lab)

​Sunday 11 Oct

Co-organizers:

BioBAT Art Space is an artist-run gallery dedicated to the intersection of Art and Science. Their vision is to advance the art of interdisciplinary creativity through cutting-edge research, art exhibitions, the production of artworks, artist residencies, education, and community engagements. BioBAT Art Space catalyzes and promotes creative experimentation in art and science through exhibitions, artist residencies, educational programs, and free cultural events in an underserved part of NYC.

The Old American Can Factory is a historic, six-building, 130,000 SF industrial complex in Gowanus, Brooklyn, housing a curated community of more than 350 persons including, artisans/fabricators, visual/performing artists, poets/writers/publishers, filmmakers/theater-makers, architects/designers, educators and others working in the culture industry. The (OA) Can Factory was planned & developed by XØ Projects Inc.