Earth Tones: Etienne Charles

The creation of Earth Tones as a multimedia project began in 2021, shaped by the stories [that Charles] grew up hearing in Trinidad from [his] mother, a retired urban planner. She spoke of meetings on global warming in the 1980s, which led [him] to ask, 'how could I use music to tell stories, but from the perspective of people?' Charles notes that, "climate is often discussed in terms of economic impact; I wanted to understand its human impact. I traveled to communities across the world, listening to people describe how environmental shifts unfold slowly over generations or arrive suddenly in a single catastrophic moment." Etienne Charles is a performer, composer, and storyteller, who is continuously searching for untold stories and sounds with which to tell them.

This project is supported by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. Earth Tones was made possible by a Creative Capital Award (2022). Earth Tones is presented in partnership with the Pathways to Resilience QEP, a five-year climate literacy initiative at App State. Earth Tones is on display in Petti/Peiser Gallery, and is accessible to the public during regular hours of operation. Admission is free.