Jennifer Calkins
CAF awarded author, attorney, and biologist Jennifer Calkins a grant for her collaborative project engaging with the extinction crisis: “Delisted 2023.” Forty-six artists have been chosen to engage with the thirty-four species—such as the Mariana mallard, the Guam broadbill, the Santa Barbara song sparrow, and the Eastern puma—that the U.S. government has removed, or proposes to remove, from coverage under the Endangered Species Act because they are extinct. Over the course of 2023, these artists are creating art to help the public connect to these species through visual, performance, and media art and workshops. This work will be compiled in a book that will be published in 2024. Jennifer hopes that “Delisted 2023” will provide more visibility to the individual animals and plant species lost through the extinction crisis, build the capacity of artists and others to work to stem the tide of extinction by holding space for grief, and create a community of artists and others who can continue to work together towards caretaking for each other and the more than human species at risk. Jennifer lives in Seattle, Washington.
September 2023 Update:
Several “Delisted 2023” artists are starting to publicize their work, as they plan to read and speak on a virtual panel for Compassion Arts later this year. Jennifer continues to study the ivory billed woodpecker, familiarizing herself with the scientific community’s conversation around the species, and engaging with videos and recordings of the bird to create visual art. To learn more about “Delisted 2023” and the species they interact with, check out @delisted2023 on Instagram.