An interdisciplinary climate artist, Garrett Andrew Chong's practice engages paradoxically with themes of forest ecology, environmental advocacy, and the transformative power of light. A fourth-generation Chinese-Canadian and honours graduate from Emily Carr University of Art + Design in the mid-1980s, Chong’s early work in visual communications evolved into a multi-disciplinary and layered artistic journey spanning design, infrared photography, HDR imaging, video installation, and large-scale digital projections. His lens-based practice navigates the intersection of science, activism, and socially engaged aesthetics—using light, both visible and invisible, as a conduit for revealing the often-unseen impacts of ecological collapse. Over several decades, Chong has developed a distinctive visual language rooted in forest stewardship and critical observation of human–environment relationships. His recent installation project, Eroded Origins: Speak For Me !, has been exhibited across British Columbia, with a recent premiere at Nuit Blanche Saskatoon. The work has garnered critical attention for its immersive approach to documenting and interpreting the clear-cutting of British Columbia’s old-growth forests. Media features include Tri-City News, Stir Vancouver, Vancouver Is Awesome, CBC Vancouver Radio, SFU Radio, and Fairchild Media. Chong’s practice has been recognized for its innovative integration of technology, including Stir Vancouver’s 2022 feature, “Five Eastside Culture Crawl Artists Using Technology to Catch Attention.” Chong has lived in the lower mainland for over five decades and his 89 Gore Avenue studio-gallery is located at The Edge Building in Railtown, Vancouver, BC since the late 90’s. Chong continues to produce work that bridges contemporary digital techniques with enduring ecological inquiry. =========== Eroded Origins: Speak For Me! - Turning Attention into Advocacy From passive viewing to active advocacy, Eroded Origins: Speak For Me! is a climate art project created to elevate awareness and foster dialogue about climate change, the interconnectedness of ecosystems, and humanity’s role in preserving the planet. At its core, this project documents environmental destruction while actively engaging the public to reimagine their relationship with Gaia—inviting a deeper understanding of humanity’s interdependence with Earth’s ecosystems and the profound impact of human actions on the planet’s future. Through Speak For Me!, an interactive art patron engagement initiative, I aim to foster meaningful connections between communities and nature. Inspired by the Art Matters movement, this component invites audiences to give voice to the environment by reflecting on thought-provoking questions such as: “If the forest could speak, what would it say?” and “What is your age?” Workshops, seminars, and interactive installations encourage public participation, creating spaces for reflection, dialogue, and action. By integrating patron responses into digital artworks, Eroded Origins transforms passive viewing into active advocacy—amplifying the urgency of climate challenges while inspiring collective responsibility and sustainable engagement. The 2025 artwork will build sequentially on curated responses gathered from multiple Climate Brainstorms across Canada. These responses elevate the project’s message and are designed to enhance advocacy and deepen dialogue among the artist, art patrons, culture crawls, and global communities. Garrett Andrew Chong’s latest body of work is deeply rooted in the unceded traditional territories of the Tsleil-Waututh, Sto:lo, Tsilhqot’in, and Dakelh Nations. “I am grateful for the opportunity to amplify the urgent message of climate and ecological art and to give voice to the patrons who support global climate action,” says Chong. Through thought-provoking engagement, patrons are invited to speak for the forest. This inclusive dialogue captures diverse perspectives and aligns with the International Court of Justice’s declaration of Climate Change as a "Universal Risk” caused by humans, mandating "Global Action". Click Here to See Eroded Origins’ Climate Art Projection:   Click Here to Pen Your Voice for the Forest: