Practicing Objectivity

By John MelvinMay 4, 2025

What is Eco Activism in the 21st century?

Eco-Activism in the 21st century is not gluing ones hand to the sidewalk.  We did that.  It’s not protesting, marching, and worse, burning barricades.  Its not that either.  I did that, you did that, we all did that.  We did that from the 60’s forward, and what did it accomplish?  Don’t get me wrong, my art career is a strong testament to how much I care about the environment, and I know a lot of hard working Eco-Warriors that have fought major battles.  But times have changed, our methods from the 20th century may not work anymore, and we need to adapt.

We need to ask ourselves if the methods of yesterday will work today, or even tomorrow.  We need to realize that in light of a climate crisis, people are having an existential crisis in their day to day lives.  This demands our attention and thought.

We know about capitalisms, consumerism, and past political movements it is the long march that wins the battle.  Being aggressive has its place, but we know that being sustainable is the true path to a brighter future.  In fact, we know that the only reason its not talked about is because true activism, or real sustainable living, makes no profit for a capitalists’ economy therefore, it has no place in our conversation.  That is because our conversations are stuck in the 20th century!!!

What is Today?

If we know, ultimately, that consumerism is actually to blame for our climate crisis, 70% of GDP, then we know we have to consume less.  We also know, that GDP doesn’t account for the things we can do ourselves for ourselves.  If we choose to join a gym, then that money can be tracked, it creates jobs, pays rent, buys equipment.  However, if we choose to run in the woods on our own, the only thing that can be tracked in the conventional economy is how many shoes we buy.  We don’t need a yoga studio membership to do yoga, it was taught originally for all to do at home on their own, the yoga studio is contributing to a job, an economy.  we can just as easily do it at home for ourselves.  What if the resistance to a truly sustainable economy is the persistent belief in perpetual growth?  what if, we get rid of the insane notion that resources aren’t finite, and instead accept them for what they are?

finite.

and, more importantly, what if we start tracking the things that we can do for ourselves by ourselves, that GDP hasn’t counted at all for over a 100 years.  what if the new paradigm is in fact quite simple, take care of your own, you community, your earth, yourselves, and do this caretaking together, as a community, what if, this is the way forward?

What if, Richard Long was right all along, what if taking a walk is the best thing we can do?

what if, Agnes Denes, was the unsung hero, and we do with our public spaces is so very important?  http://www.agnesdenesstudio.com/works7.html

Why doesn’t sustainability sell?

Its not sexy.

the climate crisis is a gift.  It has given us the opportunity to merge Eco-Activism and Sustainable Economics.  We know our limitations, the earth is finite, we know as humans we need purpose.  We merge the two and we have it.

Conventional economics gave us the a false purpose, or a false goal, be stronger, faster, and richer.  Perpetual growth.  Be more that you are.  Buy more to be more.  These are lies. 8 billion people can’t choose that as their goal on one planet, even 2 billion can’t.  The reason why we are all in psychological crisis, is because we are trying to make our 2o century purpose work in a 21st century context.  The solution is to work less, buy less, be more creative, share in community, grow things, and as Richard Long might say, walk more.

By John MelvinSeptember 9, 2024

What is this project ?

CA ROULE is an Eco-Art project raising public awareness about tire pollution and the need for SOLUTIONS to this global problem.

A chronological narrative follows the introduction.

wait…aren’t tires Recyclable?

Up-cycling, or Recycling tires is a very difficult subject.  First off, tires, as the subject stands today, make up  28 percent of microplastic pollution found in the open ocean, and that is just run off from their use on our roads.  There have been efforts of grinding up tires and using them in for sidewalks or even paving, however, this too, presents plastic pollution problems.  A far too great a number are merely burned or buried.  Many individuals have made successful use of them as eco-houses, and while admirable, doesn’t take into consideration the scale of used tires that exist in the world.  The tire industry has their own website, the public face of an NGO founded by 11 CEO’s from leading Tire Manufacturers, you can read their views here.  Eco-Artist John K. Melvin has made many public awareness projects about plastic pollution and you can read about them here.

Eco-Artist John K. Melvin is raising public Awareness!

Le Telegrame, Pont-Aven, 2024

SO what is this project about?

Ça Roule, 2024

For two years, with the support of the Pont-Aven town hall, John K. Melvin developed an innovative community garden project using used tires from the former Belle Angèle factory as a support.

Installed on the former industrial site, this work is dedicated to the city of Pont-Aven, acting as a connector of the memory of this site which hosted a karting circuit, as a last hope for reconversion, while stimulating discussions on the future of abandoned spaces and waste.

Belle Angele Tires, Pont-Aven, John K. Melvin, 2022

But why did John do this?

CA ROULE invites public debate on the environmental and societal impact of our consumer choices. By using used and abandoned tires in this industrial site, John K. Melvin seeks to raise awareness and challenge the international community on the ecological and social responsibilities linked to the use of tires, omnipresent materials and extremely problematic at the end of their life.

John wants the whole world to think about tire solutions!

We all use tires, but how many of us think about what happens when we throw them away, or WEAR them out on the roads?

Tires represent 28% of microplastic pollution in the oceans. Attempts to recycle them, such as turning them into paving stones or building materials, have not solved the problem of plastic pollution, nor toxic pollution, let alone managing the scale of tire waste.

4 billion used tires are stored in landfills worldwide and 1 billion new wastes are added each year, when they are burned or buried in illegal dumps.

Alternative design or reuse solutions are emerging but not yet viable…

Tyre recycling project in Kuwait.

We need tire solutions!

“CA ROULE” was designed to stimulate public dialogue around these issues and to encourage the development of sustainable alternatives for both design and recycling.

How did John do it?

John K. Melvin used the “cradle to cradle” design method, an innovative approach that invites us to rethink the way we design our products, by anticipating their future from the start, with their end in mind! This design strategy aims to create products that can be reused, recycled or recovered, minimizing waste and pollution.

This work perfectly illustrates how thinking about the end of life of materials can not only encourage reducing environmental impact, but also stimulate exchanges within the community. By reusing used materials, it creates a space for dialogue and collaboration, while raising public awareness of the importance of sustainability.

For this work, the artist first had to think about how he was going to assemble the sculpture with the least amount of material handling in order to limit manufacturing pollution. Therefore, his process did not involve any major transformation.

The artist then integrated a human and community dimension, with a dual objective. The first is the involvement of the community of local actors from Pont-Aven and its surroundings, who contributed financially and logistically to the construction of the work; Secondly, and perhaps most importantly, the community is invited to garden inside the tires, constituting a support for the plantations of endemic and local species, requiring little maintenance (mosses, ferns, etc.).

Due to the toxic chemicals contained in the composite material of the tire, edible plants are expressly prohibited.

Digital Rendering of Tire Pollution Public Awareness Project, CA ROULE, by John K. Melvin, 2024

Want to know more about Eco-Artist John K. Melvin ?

here’s his artist statement,

We live in a post-truth world. Climate change has provided us with an unprecedented context for understanding our relationship with our environment. Our world is grappling with economic and ecological realities, but we do not universally see the evidence of their interdependence.

I uncover these interdependent relationships and present them in artwork to provoke dialogue. I believe that through the dialogue it provokes, art can be a catalyst for change.

In my practice, I create totems, installations, and other structures to spark intercultural dialogue aimed at transcending differences and finding similarities. I have researched and developed these themes throughout my work and believe that I am contributing to the collective effort to reduce social entropy.

If we can find common ground and disseminate progressive and proactive solutions, humanity can move forward by embracing a collective vision while respecting individualities.

This is my whole project: discovering other cultures through direct immersion and creating through experimentation and community collaboration. My goal is to nourish the dialogue on ecological sustainability. I regularly integrate social practices and participatory methods into my creations, such as cleanups, material collections, workshops and exhibitions to raise awareness of the pollution/consumption relationship, all over the world.

I hope to play a positive role in a progressive dialogue that will lead generations towards proactive collaboration. Despite the scale of the challenge and negative media influences, I remain optimistic about our ability to act together. I aspire to inspire concrete actions and constructive dialogue to address these ecological and societal challenges.

Together, let’s choose a sustainable future.

A timeline of tire pollution public awareness…

CA ROULE development summary, in chronological order, beginning from the most recent update moving back in time…

Feburary 5, 2025

Planning for community gardening events begins.  I am reaching out to local schools and community members to organize tire gardening events this spring.  Stay Tuned!  Images above are from the local town magazine, many thanks indeed for all the support!

December 11, 2024

Thank you all. Sculpture is done. Tools down. This project was quite a life experience. I’ve heard all the tire jokes, trust me it’s tiring. I’m inviting everyone to come plant a tire this spring to make a community garden. More details as we get closer but keep the month of May open. For those who helped on the last few miles, Jerome and Jean-François, among a few others, thank you.  Thank you to the town of Pont-Aven.  To all the sponsors who made this financially possible, thank you. Our dear friend Ibuprofen, thank you. Friends, family and loved ones, thank you. This was a community project and then some. We have helped raise the issue of tire pollution. I’m gonna take a break now. Happy holidays.

more images to come, please check back often!

By John MelvinJuly 28, 2023

What is a talent passport?

It’s not a test.   I didn’t know either.   A Talent Passport is a form of a Carte Sejour, or in my case, an Artist Visa.

I found out about the Talent Passport somewhat backwards; at first, I wanted to make Eco-Art projects in France, and by doing some research, found blog posts about someone else’s adventure, and the spark was lit.  If I wanted to propose contemporary art projects and work as an artist in France, I had to apply for a Talent Passport.

Your best source is the government’s website, and I can’t stress this enough, they constantly update it, so make sure you stay current on the instructions, expectations, and requirements throughout your project.

The description on the government’s website:

“The multi-year “passeport talent” residence permit was created to help foreign employees and self-employed persons develop France’s economic attractiveness. Your employment contract and your stay in France must exceed three months. It will allow you to stay for a maximum of four years commencing on the date of your arrival in France.

Your family members may also accompany you and will be issued with multi-year residence permits. This permit will authorize your spouse and any children entering into their 18th year to work. In the three months following your arrival in France, you and your family must visit your local police station in France to request a multi-year residence permit corresponding to your situation.”

In short, a Passport Talent as listed by the French government is a form of ‘long visa’ that enables the holder to work and live in France.   It’s open to innovators, specialists, writers, teachers and artists.   As an Eco-Artist, I chose the art path.   At the time, the Passport Talent was relatively unknown and I’ve met more people that want to know about it, than those who already do.

The “ART PATH”,  from the Government’s site, 28/7/2023:

You are a performer or have created a literary or artistic work

You are employed as a performer

As a self-employed performer

 Your situation

You are able to justify a production or performance engagement for a duration of at least three months in order to carry out your activity as a performer or creator of a literary or artistic work on French territory.

Your visa

You will be issued with a long-stay visa bearing the statement “passeport talent” “profession artistique et culturelle” (Skilled residence permit – artistic and cultural profession). In the two months following your arrival in France, you can apply for a multi-year residence permit. The period of validity will be based on the nature and duration of the engagements and/or employment contracts you present and will be valid for a maximum period of four years.

If the duration of your stay is less than twelve months, you will be issued with a long-stay visa, equivalent to a (VLS/TS) residence permit, bearing the statement “passeport talent” (with no other statement). You must validate it in the three months following your arrival in France.

Your supporting documentation

In addition to any supporting documents related to your personal and professional situation indicated in the visa wizard, along with your visa application, you must submit all documents attesting to your role as an artist or creator of a literary or artistic work, your engagements in France, and your financial resources.

You must provide proof of your financial resources, primarily originating from your activity, for the period of your planned stay i.e.an amount at least equivalent to 70% of the minimum legal wage in France for a full-time worker for every month you stay in France. Example: contract with a gallery, artistic commission, etc.

You have work to do!

I didn’t realize how much work would be involved to apply for a Talent Passport.  One really needs to have a unique project that will benefit France but also not burden it.   You need to be very independent.  My first application was in 2017, it took almost 18 months mostly due to my international art practice, lots of flights back and forth, and a lot of patience.  Make no mistake, the French administration was courteous and helpful at every turn, except for when I showed up 5 minutes before lunch at the French embassy in Cambodia, that one was my fault, LOL!

French Embassy, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 2017

Research, Plan, Propose…

Essentially, my Talent Passport research clarified my affection for Pont-Aven, coupled with my desire to make an artist studio in Pont-Aven, would be the core of my application.  I wrote a formal plan; I proposed the creation of an artist studio and gallery, with budget(s), recommendation letters, and documentation of my International art standing (current CV, along with press clippings, and catalogs), I even took a criminal record test administerd by KHMER Police with the FBI in CAMBODIA, then I made my submission!!

I couldn’t be more thankful.

The Quimper Prefecture has been incredibly helpful throughout the entire Talent Passport process.

Read the Instructions,

Its very important to read the instructions and be patient with the French administration, if you decide to take on a passport talent project, bear in mind there will be a lot of costs, flying back and forth for interviews, etc.  The first steps will be from your home country and you may have to surrender your national passport for a brief period.  Later, you’ll be awarded a temporary visa that will cover your subsequent trips to France for your interviews and processing.

Be independent !

I cannot stress how much you need to be independent and capable of self-finance on this project, make no mistake, the passport talent isn’t a route to French grants.  The Passport Talent is a route to you making something of your self that will benefit French Culture & Economy.  I spent quite a few layovers in Paris at the airport as I had to come back for one hour interviews whilst I was working in other countries.

The Talent Passport is a great privilege, and one that considering the options, is more than worth it.

Charles de Gaulle, Paris, John K. Melvin, 2018

Be prepared for you Renewal!

When I made my renewal Talent Passport application 2021, in the midst of COVID, it was stressful for everyone, but still we managed.

During the last 6 years of having my ‘artist visa’, I have participated with arts organizations, attended Board Meetings for CACTUS, proposed projects to local town councils, have been a paid commissioned artist, had expositions, shared my work with the public, and have had many conversations and introductions that I would not have been able to have without the Passport Talent.

Below, I’ve listed chronologically my activity in France since the visa was awarded to me.  During the first Talent Passport, I spent a lot of time traveling and making my art in other countries due to concurrent project development with the visa application, however, I shared all I could with anyone I met.  Since receiving the Talent Passport, I have also responded privately to many questions from other individuals starting their own administrative adventure.   My own website is a testament of my artistic activity chronologically, but for this post, I’ve pulled out the most relevant data.

2018 –

Talent Passport, Carte Sejour, Prefecture de FINISTERE, FRANCE

2020 –

Artistes au Jardin, CACTUS, 2 salles, Quimper, FRANCE (a site specific installation on two sites, read more here.)

CONVERGENCE, Site-Specific Installation development with City of Quimper, France, 2020-2022 (narrative follows, or link)

2021 –

Established personal studio, Pont Aven, read more here,

Atelier Expo, Open Studio, Juillet-Août, Pont Aven, FRANCE ( a solo gallery project for the summer of 2021, read more here.)

Joined ALIVE for Climate, an association of climate activist artists based in Napoule, read more here,

2022 –

KER PONT-AVEN, installation, FRANCE;

CACTUS, 5ans DEJA, Oct-Nov, Quimper, FRANCE;

A4, Exposition Collective, Mars – Septembre, Pont Aven FRANCE, (a 9 month collective art gallery project, link)

CHANGWON BIENNALE, Water is Life, South Korea, link

CANCERUS, Wheatpasting projects, Pont-Aven, link

DEMAIN, Wheatpasting projects, Pont-Aven, link

2023–

DIVISION, INOX sculpture, permanent garden installation, FRENCHBERRY, Pont-Aven, link

LAND ART Symposium, The Other, Villa Cerniglaiaro, Italy, link

Ca Roule, Tire Pollution Public Awarenss project, Pont-Aven, France, 2023-2030, (narrative follows, or link)

2024–

PAPILLON, Site-Specific Installation, IDEES Pont-Aven, link

PONT AVEN SCHOOL OF CONTEMPORARY ART, Personal Collection of Caroline Boyle-Turner, Silent Auction benefiting FRANCE ALZHEIMER’s, IZART Galerie ANNEXE, Pont-Aven, link.

SOULEVEMENT, Private Commission 2024-2025, QUIMPER, France

CA ROULE, Physical construction Phase complete, December 2024.

2025–

CA ROULE, Planation of tires by Community, Multiple Events, Spring 2025

SOULEVMENT, Private Commission, Construction, Summer 2025

ECO-ART BIENNALE DE PONT-AVEN, Fundraising & Planning Phase begins, exhibition in 2026

Working hard for a Talent Passport!

A more detailed narrative of some of the larger projects I worked on during my second Talent Passport…

Having been awared by second Talent Passport in 2021 from the French Prefecture in Quimper, I set to work.  From the end of 2020 until spring 2022, I worked with the City of Quimper.  Specifically, the Direction of Culture, the Adjoint au maire, chargé de la culture, asked me in late 2020 to design a 3km project for the rivers of Quimper.  I was asked to base it on my Aven Project from before.  I’ve written about both projects at the links here, Quimper, and Pont Aven.

Conceptual art means a lot of meetings, presentations, techinal drawing, and writing.  I needed something more to do in order to proove my Talent Passport worthy.  So, I also took on a somewhat guerilla wheat-pasting project with an abandoned factory complex under development, more on that project here.  I say somewhat guerilla, the town officials where aware, supported it unofficially, and without any financing.  In the end it resulted in an ephemeral private commission !

The spirit of the Talent Passport is to be a self-starter.  Continuing my self started projects, in early 2023, I proposed a upcycling tire project with the town of Pont Aven, and just recently, I have been given a green light to begin the project, and after successful crowdfunding, I have begun construction.  I am honored and humbled to make this project about circularity, and you can read more about it here.

And on a larger horizon, I’ve initiated planning for an Eco-Art Association, who’s first task will be to curate, organize, and host an international art event bringing artists into the Pont-Aven region.  Each artist will be tasked with making an Eco-Art installation in 10 days, and the projects will be open to the public until the projects are consumed by nature.  Read more about it on this website.

In short, I’m forever thankful for the Talent Passport – Artist Visa, as it has opened doors and made me realize I can give back quite a lot.  Of course, none of this would have been possible with out my friends, family, and loved ones.

Recently, I was invited to participate in a Land Art symposium at the Villa Cernigliaro, near Turin in Italy. The Villa and park are historic, having been occupied during WWII, a center during the Anti-Fascist period, then the Fluxus Movement, and much more.  The grounds are modestly manicured, filled with a wide range of plant and tree species, but not exactly the wild nature one finds in the forest.  This built-environment of compounded histories illustrated to me, our collective misunderstanding of current events, namely the inter-connectedness of migrants and climate change.