GLOBAL LIVE PROJECT : PART 2
- Serrell Tafari
- Mar 19
- 14 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
18.03.25
EXPLORING SOLARPUNK
SolarPunk is a movement that envisions a speculative future where nature, technology and humanity coexist in harmony. It combines ecological solutions with a counter-cultural DIY spirit, exploring themes of anti-capitalism, activism and sustainability through art, fiction and community practice.
WHY SOLAR-PUNK?
I suggested the idea of Solarpunk during our initial mind-mapping session on Figma because I thought it was cool unifying concept. I first heard about it through this YouTube video years ago , narrated over this Chobani commercial called "Dear Alice", and it stuck with me. At first, the name sounded a bit unusual to some, but once I explained it, everyone absolutely loved the idea! I didn’t expect the rest of our project to be based on it.
Me and my group mate shared a desire for a better future, rooted in different personal reasons / contexts. SolarPunk resonates with me, not only because of my affinity with nature and fantasy, but because I dream of seeing my homeland thrive. Iraq is rich in beauty and abundance, known by many names - Mesopotamia the Cradle of Civilisation - the Fertile Crescent - the Garden of Eden - the House of Wisdom. Now it is often associated with war and instability, its a story echoed across time.
My family back home still struggle, political systems are a mess and our ecosystems are drying up. Because of this I carry a lot of sorrow, but also hope and imagination - dreams of revival and rebuilding ( in reference to my drawing "Cradle" on Figma ). I romanticise a Solarpunk kind of future for Iraq and the rest of the exploited world, for beautiful places like Congo, Sudan and Palestine.
Syd, too, feels a connection to nature thats shaped by her own experiences and a strong concern for climate change and ethics. She's quite knowledgeable about sustainable practices and the industrial past. Though we come from different contexts we agree the root cause to all these problems is Capitalism; a system built to serve the top percentile of corrupt political entities who thrive on the complicity and suffering of the globe simply because they can. Solar-punk speculates a world where those powers don’t exist and instead it's the people - creatives, innovators, scientists - who turn things around.
TARGET AUDIENCE
These people in saying is realistically the younger generation (1990s–2020s), as we are the ones who will determine whether we save the planet or allow its irreversible damage. It’s on us.That’s why solar-punk will gain more relevance in the mainstream - because societal ideas translate into reality. Just as sci-fi horror and cyberpunk have profoundly shaped culture from the 1950s to now, solar-punk can offer a similarly influential, yet optimistic, effect on generations moving forward.
As the pressure to reverse human-caused damage intensifies, so should aspiration.
GOOGLE images
From searching on google images to see what comes up I identified a lacuna of research ( as Lauren puts it ) when it comes to solar-punk in relation to real life, with Birmingham lacking the most out of the other cities.
EXPLAINING THE LACUNA
The reason why media related to Solarpunk is scarce is because its still a fairly new concept, coined only in 2008 through a Brazilian blog titled “From Steampunk to Solarpunk.” I saw this as an exciting opportunity to explore this emerging theme and create something authentic - rooted in Birmingham, Kyiv, and Chicago.
blog reference:
THIS BLOG ALSO GOES INTO A LOT DEPTH ABOUT THE GENRE
(blog) https://lidiazuin.medium.com/beyond-the-green-smart-cities-solarpunk-can-also-be-dark-997720267e32
FICTIONAL media
I have already mentioned in my Speculative Lab project, the strong influence that media has on people/communities, here are some examples:
BLACK PANTHER [2018]
Solarpunk has already had a cultural impact without people realising. Films / anthologies like Black Panther are a beautiful example of solar-punk - portraying a society that preserves aspects of indigenous/precolonial African cultures, while incorporating advanced, sustainable technologies and strong community values. As I've mentioned - past, present - future - as a whole. It's through that afro-futuristic/solarpunk perspective that it empowered a diaspora of people, particularly the younger generation, inspiring them to think of the potential reality of indigenous/African sovereignty. The sequel movie subsequently achieves the same with Talokan, an underwater Mesoamerican haven. That kind of aspiration can also highlight what we have lost and will continue to lose to corruption, motivating us act more.
On the other hand, our culture tends to absorb dystopian futures that highlight how we can be worse off - cyberpunk - Black Mirror, Cyberpunk 2077, The Hunger Games. Aestheticising this form of future creates a sense of helplessness rather than motivating change. We must aim for the opposite: a healthy relationship with the Earth and all forms of life.
SCAVENGERS REIGN [2023]
Scavengers Reign is an animated science fiction series I watched back in November last year, which holds a special place in my heart. It follows a group of human survivors stranded on an alien planet after a cargo spaceship, the Demeter 227, suffers a catastrophic malfunction. The planet is teeming with strange ecosystems, creatures, and interconnected life systems that operate independently of human logic or dominance.
My favourite character from the show is Levi, a companion robot who becomes sentient. Stranded on a strange alien planet Levi builds a deep spiritual bond with it, where he develops emotional awareness, a strong friendship with its human companion, the ability to dream and even bring life.
Nature is not perfect, nor are people. “Scavengers Reign helped shape how I think about solar-punk futures, not as perfect utopian cities, but as complex systems where we coexist with the unknowns. Like the characters in the series, we have to observe, listen, and adapt to the natural world. Its alien ecosystems reminded me that sustainability isn’t about controlling nature, but forming a relationship with it again. This really resonates with how I like to imagine the future cities - rooted in respect, rebalance, and regeneration, even after destruction.”
NAUSICAA VALLEY OF THE WIND [ 1984 ]
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind can be seen as a proto-solarpunk narrative because decades before the term existed, Ghibli imagines a world ravaged by ecological collapse and war, yet still rooted in hope rather than despair. Set in a post-apocalyptic future, the film critiques imperialism, arms races, and greed - forces deeply tied to environmental destruction - while presenting a vision of renewal through ecological harmony and compassion. The Valley of the Wind, Nausicaä’s home, is a peaceful, wind-powered community built on sustainable farming, mutual care, and respect for the natural world, embodying many hallmarks of a sustainable society. Nausicaä herself protects and learns from nature, forging radical empathy even with non-human life, like the misunderstood Ohmu creatures. The film’s aesthetic further reinforces its solarpunk spirit: it juxtaposes decaying industrial relics with reborn ecosystems, blending lush landscapes, organic architecture, and gentle, renewable technology to create a world where innovation feels integrated with life rather than imposed upon it. While it doesn’t feature solar panels or explicit eco-tech, the story champions the deeper values of solarpunk - decentralised resilience, environmental restoration, post-capitalist critique, and a regenerative, life-affirming future.
OTHER EXAMPLES WHICH INVOLVE SOLARPUNK / HOPEPUNK:
Ghibli: Princess Mononoke and Castle in the Sky.
The Invisible City (2021)
The Beast of the Southern Wild (2012)
The Last Mimzy (2007)
Disney Atlantis (2001) and Treasure Planet (2022)
Fern Gully (1992)
Avatar The Last Airbender (2005)
Avatar (2009)
Solarbabies (1986)
REDDIT posts
PINTEREST AND INSTAGRAM
Have a look at our vibrant collaborative Pinterest boards! It contains a lot of the visual inspirations which could inform our design process, along with broader influences from the instagram posts I saved. On social media my feed is noticeably becoming more environmental. I sometimes like sending the group chat a couple things which could relate to our concept.
19.03.25
MY FIRST TUTORIAL WITH LAUREN
TRANSCRIPT:
Serrell: Yeah, the solar punk idea everyone seems to love it, even though I spontaneously thought of it as an extra thing.
Lauren: that’s great! So, I mean, so you're really strong at idea generation, right? So I think that aligning solar punk to Digbeth is a really good idea as well. So what we do is you're combining the concept, but you're making that applicable to a local area. So you kind of got the conceptual thinking, but also the practical aspects as well, yes. So like when you put, when you, when you talk practise, you can use the word empirical; putting theory into practise. So do you want to talk a little bit more about Digbeth, what you are going to do there?
Serrell: Well we’re going to Digbeth today to photograph areas like we did in our speculative lab project, instead going further into Digbeth, documenting memorable or iconic places that locals recognise like the canals especially like the waterways. We have a member in each city who will do the same and I think focusing on waterways is an interesting way to connect our cities geographically and symbolically since the same waters connects and sustains all lands, sort of like the marshlands in basra actually!
Lauren: A river canal would be good to connect. Yeah! And I'm saying what you can do once you get the the images from Kyiv as well, you can kind of compare and contrast as well, the different manifestations of solar- punk globally. I mean what I've recommended that you and Sydney do, from an academic point of view, is combine solar-punk with style from my lecture. (Insert file). The reason I think that is because of how style can impact upon politics. So sometimes the environments can be viewed in this kind of quite methodical way, kind of the very boring way.Yet solar-punk makes it a really vibrant, interesting aesthetic. So how can aesthetics make a political stance more relevant, if that makes sense.
Serrell: Right. Solarpunk is political by nature - it’s about anti-capitalism, activism, sustainability. If you look at a lot of solarpunk films or artwork, they’re not entirely utopian. People are still struggling. It’s that tension - why do we have to fight for change? Because our world is already in crisis. But what’s frustrating is that solarpunk as a concept hasn’t been widely explored. I searched for solarpunk cities and found barely anything—maybe three images for Birmingham.
Lauren: So you've identified a lacuna in research which is really valuable. A gap basically.
Serrell: Exactly. That gap is part of what drives the project.
Lauren: You’re aligning style and politics, which is at the core of what solarpunk is. Now, in terms of the material side of the group project, what are you planning?
Serrell: The demographic in Digbeth is mostly creatives, often younger people. So they’re our target audience. Once we have the Kyiv photos, we can ask questions like—are similar groups drawn to those spaces? We could ask Bell and others to help with that.
Lauren: Good. It’s about collaboration too. Avoid working in silos—don’t let each city become isolated in its process. Collaboration will help overcome digital barriers. The final piece could even be a blend of all three cities—like an idealised solarpunk landscape made from the best features of each.
Serrell: Yeah, Birmingham would be a sample, not the whole story. The virtual format allows us to show physical spaces, but we’re also creating a digital project. It’s important to keep the focus clear, even if the themes are expansive.
Lauren: Have you got anyone contributing from Chicago?
Serrell: Not yet. I think they’re still deciding what they want to contribute.
Lauren: That’s okay. Just reflect on that in your process—collaboration can have delays. You might have to lead more actively if responses are slower. That’s part of real-world teamwork.
Serrell: Yeah, I think at the beginning I misunderstood the brief. I didn’t realise we were meant to pitch a solid idea. I thought it was more open-ended. That’s what Maria was referring to which I appreciated. I thought we were just introducing ideas and that others would build with us.
Lauren: That’s not wrong—just a difference in expectations. There can be cultural differences in how collaboration is approached too. Make sure you reflect on that. Once you take the photos and keep communicating, people might be inspired to join later. It could become a tri-city photography exhibition.
Serrell: Actually, the solarpunk idea was first inspired by my own homeland. That was my original theme. I didn’t have a product—I just wanted to share personal stories. Like those of my granddad, my mum—stories of displacement and home. I made a drawing called Cradle that expresses this longing—I haven’t seen my family in 15 years. I often romanticise what my homeland could’ve looked like before colonialism, pollution, and war. I dream of a future as if that destruction never happened.
Lauren: That’s a form of utopian thinking—rooted in memory and identity.
Serrell: It’s not about perfection, but about beauty—what could have been preserved. I want to express that loss and hope.
Lauren: And that fits beautifully with solarpunk. It allows different cultures to imagine their own sustainable futures. So you can combine indigenous Iraqi culture with Ukrainian, Chicagoan, or Brummie culture. Everyone brings something unique
It ties into that conversation we had about universality and cultural specificity. Solarpunk can be universal, but it needs to be grounded in specific cultures to have meaning.
Serrell: Yes! It’s like Wakanda in Black Panther—a futuristic society grounded in pre-colonial values. They aren’t stuck in the past—they’ve evolved while still preserving sustainable indigenous practices.
That’s exactly it. Solarpunk combines past, present, and future. It’s about holding on to traditional values while pushing toward a better future.
Lauren: You’ve got a very strong sense of personal voice. That’s a strength. Bring in elements of Iraqi culture if they relate to you.
Serrell: I want to focus of the three cities, Iraq seems irrelevant but was a sort of excersise to get me thinking.
Lauren: You can focus on the three cities—Birmingham, Kyiv, and potentially Chicago—but bring in others like Iraq, Palestine, or Congo for depth and symbolism.
Serrell: Yeah, photography is a good way to do that.
Lauren: For the exhibition, you can use software that lets people walk through a virtual space. Ask Chloe’s group from last year—they used some great tools.
Serrell: Syd and I also had the idea of using a bird symbol—something universal, migratory, connecting all these cultures and stories.
Lauren: That’s lovely. A bird works symbolically and visually—it could tie the whole project together.
Serrell: I’d really like your feedback on that when I start writing.
Lauren: Absolutely. And look into Eastside Projects’ artist development scheme—it’s free for people from global majority backgrounds. They offer mentorships, residencies, and community.
Serrell: That sounds amazing. I’ll definitely look into it.
Lauren: When it comes to your reflective writing—just start with the personal and build from there. Use voice notes if writing is tough. Capture your thoughts as they come.
Serrell: I was also thinking about creating two alternative futures—one where nature reclaims cities with humanity present, and one without humans at all.
Lauren: I’d suggest focusing on the one with humanity😂 —show how we can co-exist and respect nature. Think about different belief systems too. In Daoism, there’s no hierarchy between humans and nature—it’s a very different worldview from dominant Western thinking.
Serrell: That’s interesting—I’ll explore that. I’ll also keep developing the photography and virtual exhibition idea.
Lauren: Brilliant. You’ve got so many threads to pull together. Your passion is evident—keep building on that.
Serrell: Thank you. I’ve got a lot to reflect on now, and I feel more confident moving forward. Yay!
End of transcription.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Later on I went with Syd and Sasha on a trip around Digbeth to gather inspiration. The following are all my shots.
We've selected the few images which spoke to us the most:
21.03.25
EXHIBITION AT ROYAL BIRMINGHAM CONSERVATOIRE
"THE CITY THAT SHAPED US"
'The City That Shaped Us is a concert combining specially curated photos and newly composed music to showcase the best of Birmingham—from the city’s vibrant art scene to its serene green spaces; from its thriving local businesses to its teeming nightlife; and from a bustling metropolis to the small moments we share with our loved ones." ( source)
22.03.25
IDEA DEVELOPMENT
CONCEPTUALISING PLACES AS SOLAR-PUNK REALMS
N A T U R E . T E C H N O L O G Y . F A N T A S Y . C O M M U N I T Y . S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y .
My conceptual development started with imagining Iraq - specifically Basra - in a speculative solarpunk reality. I think it’s because I’m passionate about this place that it helped me think more imaginatively about other places. I started drawing from my influences then applied that thinking to global cities like Birmingham and Digbeth.
I drew inspiration from ancient Mesopotamian and Marsh culture—the Marsh people are indigenous to southern Iraq and can trace their origins 6000 years to the ancient Sumerian civilization, yet due to Saddam Hussein’s regime they have suffered from genocide and environmental ruin.
Through my concept sketch, I wanted to revive that culture and biodiversity while integrating advanced, sustainable technology and practices. Given Iraq’s harsh desert climate, I imagined the revival of flora/fauna and displaced communities, who can thrive in peace with mainstream society. Where diverse communities live in futuristic Ziggurats and worship in traditional Mosques/Churches. A backdrop with a golden sun and birds in the distance. The face represents a future Mesopotamian inhabitant, inspired by ancient art and natives phenotypes. The style is influenced by various aesthetics from childhood shows like Midnight Gospel, Steven Universe, and Scavenger’s Reign.
I then adapted a similar thought process to the three core cities, imagining how their unique past and present can influence their future. In my second image, I depicted Birmingham’s Bullring covered in vibrant moss balls that purify the air, with foliage and extensions that regulate climate. It’s a simple sketch, but in my mind, the vision is detailed with biomaterials, lush greenery, and the return of animal life to the urban centre. Here, shopping move away from capitalist exploitation, using alternative, sustainable systems instead.
In Digbeth, I imagined solar-powered boats on the canals, blimps and baloon devices in the sky, quirky future tech, and a return of swans and local animals. Bear in mind me and Syd have agreed that our futuristic cities should be realistic and justifiable, set in a not so distant future. So theres no teleportation or levitating cars, we're thinking of achievable sustainable solutions we CAN create. Kyiv was harder for me to add to conceptually since the reference images ware already so beautiful, but I believe Bell has strong ideas for his city and I'm interested to see what they come up with.
WEEK 4 : 24:03:25
COSMOPOLITANISM
Cosmopolitanism is a philosophical idea that proposes all human beings are members of a single, global community and should be considered "world citizens". It suggests that shared morality, economic relationships, or political structures can connect individuals across different nations.
TRANSCRIPT :
REFLECTION
I really liked Laurens presentation and how we can connect cosmopolitanism to our project. Frida Kahlo is an artist whom I already connect with since her way of conceptualising is similar to mine. With my art I tend to explore human forms and identity through combining nature, anatomy, spirituality and surrealism - as a way of expressing narratives that are personal, existential or anthropological. Similar to Kahlos piece where " arteries transmogrifying into roots and that sense of connectedness to the land" I naturally did something similar with my "Cradle" piece where "the two rivers transmogrifies into veins of a foetus" I believe things are connected and I always see that in nature, be it human or plant biology, geography, or other things.
HOW DOES COSMOPOLITANISM RELATE TO OUR THEME?
Our project brings together perspectives from Birmingham, Kyiv, and Chicago, making it naturally cosmopolitan, specifically armchair cosmopolitanism.
"Armchair Cosmopolitanism is based on the idea of gaining a global perspective without ever leaving your country or your armchair. This idea is not only sustainable in reducing air mileage but also makes travel feel much more accessible to those who may wish to explore yet struggle to."
Even though we weren’t physically in each other’s countries, were building something that connects us through narrative and design. By speculating future worlds influenced by different cultural identities and locations, we’ve used storytelling and character design as a way to connect our cities.
INDIGENEITY
Initially in the project, I aimed to envision a speculative solarpunk future that highlights the significance of indigenous cultures. This is a topic I have addressed in previous projects as well. Like indigeneity, true sustainability transcends time - which is why we explored the past, present, and future to begin with, integrating aspects from each into the speculative future. Although indigenous people make up just 5% of the current global population, they protect 80% of the planet’s biodiversity which is remarkable. These voices, often marginalised by corrupt systems, deserve to be at the forefront of environmental and cultural movements, and therefore Solarpunk.
The term itself originated in Brazil which has strong indigenous Amazonian communities, who defend traditional lands and cultural rights, resisting environmental destruction and government policies that threaten their existence. They actively protest, lobby, and use legal avenues to assert their rights and preserve their way of life.
Supporting them would profoundly impact the world, and the narrative should evolve to reflect that as it progresses. The solarpunk movement would be meaningless without indigenous rights.
AN INTRODUCTION TO VIDEO ESSAYS
This lesson reminded me of one of my favourite YouTube videos that I discovered when I first started college: The Nightmare Artist – The Story of Zdzisław Beksiński.
Everything about how this video is presented, structured and delivered is intriguing and it inspires me to do something similar with my own essay writing. I have a vivid vision of my mind of what it could look like structurally :
Nature as a Home: A Solarpunk Perspective
Hook / Introduction – Summary of what we’re covering in the project
What makes a home? – Our reflections
Motive and core ideas
Target audience – Social relevance and impact
Transition – Influences from media and animation
Visual ideation – collaboration / initial sketches
Narrative and concept designs
( RECENT EDITS 13.05.25 )
Bringing it to life – Sketching, Procreate, Nomad, Mixamo, Blender, Spacial, potential VR use (Adobe Aero), Syd – Writing, narrative development, Figma, time-lapses
Collaborations – Bell’s design contributions, translating Felix’s ideas into a character, creative international teamwork
Final outcome
Where to expand
Conclusion – references and acknowledgements
