For over thirty years, artist Mark Weighton has been writing and creating artworks that explore an animist vision of the interconnectedness of existence. From his studio in the Surrey Hills, UK, he has exhibited work internationally which features in several notable public and private collections across Europe, Asia and the Americas.

His current output is primarily environmentally concerned, employing a wide range of media to actively highlight the pressing issues surrounding human belief and behaviour as the primal cause of Earth's climate crisis. His drawings and paintings range from large scale works on reclaimed cardboard and canvas, to complex charcoal compositions on paper and delicate watercolours.

His 2023 collaboration with concert pianist Richard Saxel met with critical acclaim. Saxel played the nine musical sketches that comprise Robert Schuman’s Waldszenen in darkness while images of nine specifically related paintings by Weighton were projected on a huge cinema screen in the concert hall auditorium. In 2021 his large sculpture installation Burnt Wood, fabricated entirely from recycled plastic lumber and displayed at the United Nations COP26 Climate Conference in Glasgow, received acclaim across international press and media platforms.

Alongside painting and sculpture, writing has played a consistent role in his practice, with contributions made to a variety of UK publications. He writes a monthly column for the online journal Meer.com and has a growing audience on the Substack digital publishing platform.

Mark also enjoys the company of his grown up children; he teaches, gives lectures, tends his garden and allotment and very occasionally illustrates a children's book.

He says, “Bearing in mind our current climate crisis, I believe it’s time to re-examine our relationship with the planet and each other. What are the consequences of our culturally entrenched behaviour today? What can we do, what destructive habits can we change now to prevent further suffering? Can we consistently employ our thoughts, words and actions to bring benefit to All, not just a privileged few.

I have been arguing for some while that soon, most art will be climate or environment art. To not have the climate breakdown at the heart of art practice is, to my mind, a denial of the issue. As the world burns in front of us, most aspects of our lives will be affected no matter where we live. Our security and cost of living; how we work and get around; even how we eat, will be forced to change while the consumerist juggernaut of unsustainable economic growth thunders on towards biosphere oblivion.

Let’s not forget it is us at the wheel of that destructive vehicle. Let’s hope there is still time to change course or better still, stop the engine immediately, get out of the driver’s seat and walk away, as swiftly as we can towards a more sustainable, equitable and connected future.”

Further work by Mark can be found at his website.