The Winners of Art Partner’s #CreateCop29 Contest Put Climate Change in the Spotlight

This month, over 50,000 government officials, United Nations delegates, and diplomats met in Azerbaijan for the 29th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Known as Cop29, the gathering also served as an opportunity for photographers, artists, ceramicists, weavers, designers, and many more creatives to call attention to the current climate emergency by entering their works in the 2024 #CreateCOP contest. The competition, held in partnership with the global creative agency Art Partner, serves as a reminder to world leaders and audiences alike that climate change is not merely a political or scientific issue, but one shaped by the human experience.

This time around, artists between the ages 14 to 30 submitted works in the form of AI-generated imagery, interactive apps, paintings, and much more, capturing the personal and visceral stories of climate change worldwide. Gastón Zilberman, who took home the first-place prize of $10,000, put forth his “Qotzuñi: People of the Lake” series, which tells the story of the Uru community in Bolivia. This group, which historically subsisted upon hunting and fishing in their ancestral home of Lake Poopó, has faced intensifying hardships since the lake began drying up in 2002.

In second place, winner Adedolapo Boluwatife’s photo essay, waste and plastic pollution in Nigeria, comes to the forefront. “Growing up in Lagos, I witnessed the devastating impact of flooding, often caused by plastic waste,” the 28-year-old photographer said in a statement. For Invitation to Invade, Boluwatife “collected plastic waste, transforming it into a visual narrative—before depositing it at a recycling plant.”

Each of this year’s contestants were asked to share their hopes and fears for Cop29 and the climate crisis. Of course, there was plenty to say, what with Donald Trump being elected as United States President mere days before the event began, plus the summit being held in a country whose economy relies almost entirely on the fossil fuels that contribute to global warming. A common fear that persisted among the participants was a concern that world leaders’ promises would remain unfulfilled, with financial interests taking precedence over the well-being of people and the planet. At the same time, the artists expressed a deep hope that humanity would awaken to its inherent connection to nature and to one another.

Fee-Gloria Groenemeyer, whose “Recycle” series won her third place in the contest, emphasized that “we only have one earth to protect.”

“By reimagining waste as a resource, we can reduce environmental harm and move toward a more sustainable future,” she added.

“This year’s submissions were filled with creativity and impactful messages that made the selection process both inspiring and tough,” Anja Rubik—one of the judges on a panel consisting of industry heavyweights like Hans Ulrich Obrist and Marina Testino—told W. “I was personally drawn to work that showed the magnitude of the issue more directly, capable of resonating with key audiences—those who might not yet see the urgency of climate crisis—all while showcasing creativity and talent.”