Joseph Trumpey and Ellen Rutt Raise Awareness of Climate Crisis

Stamps Associate Professor Joseph Trumpey and Detroit based artist Ellen Rutt were featured in The Michigan Daily article, ​“Activist Art: Building Bridges Against the Climate Crisis”.

“As activists and community members alike are taking to the streets, urging for change, so are artists. Their work serves as an integral visual reminder of what is at stake, and in many cases, bridges the gap between different communities, identities and locations across the country. Artist and activist Ellen Rutt and activist Joseph Trumpey, a University of Michigan professor, are on the frontlines of this movement in Michigan, working alongside their communities in Detroit and Ann Arbor to raise awareness about this crisis, unifying individuals of all identities and reminding us that in this fight, we are all connected and must urge for policy change together.”

“…Rutt is often known first for her massive, abstract murals. With murals located in Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, Detroit and beyond, Rutt explains how her role as a muralist came to be and how it has guided her path into other, more environmentally driven projects….A parallel to Ellen Rutt’s environmentally driven abstract paintings and murals is Professor Joseph Trumpey. An educator at the University’s Stamps School of Art & Design and the School of Natural Resources & Environment, Trumpey said in an interview with The Daily that ​“making beautiful stuff to change the world,” is a gig for him. Similar to Rutt’s work, his emphasis and extensive knowledge of green building focuses on connection and inspiring broader communities to take action in the fight against climate change.”