Science and art join forces to shed light on the dark side of green energy
To rapidly phase out fossil fuel consumption, we need to switch to wind turbines, solar panels, and batteries on a massive scale, requiring critical minerals such as cobalt and lithium. What not everyone realizes is that extracting these materials leads to environmental damage, human rights violations, and inequality. The 'Resourcefulness' Signature project draws from artistic storytelling to reveal this often-overlooked side of the energy transition. “We are bringing the decolonial perspective to the forefront in an innovative way.”
Interview with Nikkie Wiegink on the completed Signature project 'Resourcefulness'
The energy transition is urgent. One might assume the goal is simply to produce as many solar panels and electric cars as possible, as quickly as possible. Yet, this would be overlooking something crucial, says cultural anthropologist Nikkie Wiegink. “In the name of the energy transition, Western companies are rapidly extracting critical minerals in places like the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Indonesia. This has significant consequences for local communities and their environments. In effect, this perpetuates colonial power structures and deepens global inequality. If we want a just transition, we must address these issues as well.”
Stories as a form of scientific knowledge transfer
The project team comprised researchers from various disciplines—Social and Behavioral Sciences, Geosciences, Law, Economics and Governance, Humanities, and Physics—each engaging with the theme in their own way. One of their goals was to explore forms of research and knowledge production beyond the standard academic publication. Wiegink explains: “We wanted to highlight the perspective of the people affected by raw material extraction for the energy transition. Since we didn’t have the resources to travel there, we considered how we could bring their perspective here. We decided to do so in a way that was innovative for the university: through imagination and storytelling.”
Artworks made from electronic waste
To ground the project in concrete experiences, two junior researchers were brought on board who had conducted field research in the Congo and West Papua—regions where many critical minerals are mined. Wiegink says: “To center a decolonial perspective, we invited artists from those countries that created artworks using materials such as electronic waste. They also had contacts within the activist organization Wij zijn Congolezen (We Are Congolese) and the Free West Papua movement in the Netherlands. Together with members of these organizations, we organized storytelling sessions about the social, political, and environmental impacts of mining and the long history of exploitation.”
Vening Meinesz Building ‘occupied’ for critical event
Wiegink harbored no illusions that the Resourcefulness project would immediately offer solutions to the consequences of raw material extraction. “It starts with drawing attention to this side of the energy transition. We did that with a three-week event titled ‘Critical Materials, Critical Stories.’ After all, we take a critical stance against the simplified positive narratives surrounding green energy.” For the event, the project group—comprising UU researchers, artists, and activists—‘occupied’ the Common Room of the Vening Meinesz Building. It became a vibrant space where they organized interactive storytelling sessions, displayed an exhibition featuring the waste-based artworks, and hosted discussions on topical documentaries. Wiegink considered it a great success. “Especially because all the people we wanted to bring together around this theme—colleagues, students, artists, activists, civil society organizations—actively engaged in dialogue with one another.”
Artistic and academic thinking: differences and resonances
Wiegink found the transdisciplinary collaboration within the project both productive and complex. “Academia and the art world are two different realms. Art can hold up a mirror to society—for instance, through recognition, surprise, and a sense of defamiliarization. Science relies on a different kind of persuasive power but is often less accessible. In that sense, art offers an interesting, open-ended way to translate insights for a broader audience.” At times, Wiegink encountered mindset differences between the two worlds. “We had drawn up a plan with one of the artists, and he got to work. But there was one thing we hadn’t thought of: giving him parameters regarding the final output. After all, we needed to be able to transport the artwork to the university! Fortunately, it fit in my car—with just ten centimeters to spare.”
True reciprocity requires long-term relationships
Despite the event’s success, Wiegink grapples with the question of whether the team truly approached their research in a decolonial way. “Working to address global inequality and involving people from the other side of the world in that process is a delicate undertaking. It is quite different from developing and launching a product. To get to know one another well and establish meaningful reciprocity, you need to build long-term relationships—something this type of shorter project is less suited for.” Nevertheless, she values the space the project gave her to experiment. “I am delighted with the new relationship that has developed between us and the artists and lecturers from HKU; we continue to connect with one another, and this has been integrated into our Cultural Anthropology curriculum.”