Yandell Walton
Zone Red 2024: A Visual Countdown to Climate Action
MLED Displays is proud to have supported artist Yandell Walton in bringing Zone Red to life with our advanced LED technology.
Zone Red takes on the pressing issue of climate change, using powerful visuals to emphasize the urgency of addressing this global challenge. Positioned atop the heritage plinth in Edinburgh Gardens, the installation features a digital clock that steadily counts down to 2030—a pivotal year identified by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) for reducing emissions by 45% to limit global warming to 1.5ºC. This temperature threshold is not just a figure; it signals the likelihood of intensified weather patterns, irreversible ice loss, rising seas, and widespread environmental damage.
The solar-powered clock represents a delicate balance between humanity’s fragility and potential resilience. Each second that passes underscores the urgency of the deadline, creating a striking contrast between the sense of looming peril and the possibility of meaningful change.
Yarra City Council’s Climate Emergency Plan for 2024–2030 echoes the IPCC’s call for decisive action within this critical decade, reinforcing the need to secure a sustainable and habitable future for all.
Through its design, Zone Red invites viewers to reflect on their role in combating climate change. The mirrored surface, paired with imagery of global CO2 emissions, serves as a metaphor for accountability and personal responsibility.
This installation captures the duality of climate discourse: an alarming wake-up call rooted in scientific realities, coupled with a message of hope that highlights the potential of collective action and human ingenuity to create transformative change before time runs out.
Digital technology for this installation was provided by MLED Displays.
Zone Red by Yandell Walton is showcased as part of the Edinburgh Gardens Plinth Program.
Video production by Bernie Phelan.
For more infomaton about Yandell Walton,
visit her website here: https://yandellwalton.com
