ARTIVIST! Interview with Janina Rossiter
“I only want to use my creativity for things that are really close to my heart.”
As it sometimes happens: you meet someone whose energy inspires you through an acquaintance, three corners and social media. Janina Rossiter is such a person: she is an illustrator, author, activist – for the ocean, for the protection of our planet. We are very happy that she is on board with us.
We all know what an activist is – many people immediately think of Luisa Neubauer. But what exactly does an Artivist?
It's a mixture of being an artist and an activist. This means that I use my art specifically to make social and ecological issues visible and reach people.
Where do you become an artivist?
I grew up in Hamburg, where I studied communication and illustration design at the HAW. I graduated in 2006 with the highest possible grade. Since then, I've lived and worked in Hamburg, London and now Paris. When I look back, I feel very grateful - because I knew early on that I wanted to work in the arts and was lucky enough to be able to follow this path.
In many of my first jobs – especially in graphic design – environmental protection unfortunately didn't play a role. On the contrary: I was sometimes involved in projects that are hardly compatible with my current convictions. 2018 was a turning point. I realised that I only wanted to use my creativity for what really matters to me – for the ocean, for the protection of our planet.
My books and my artwork are now at the centre of all my work. That's where it all began - and that's also my mission: to raise awareness of environmental problems that need to be seen, understood and taken seriously.
© Janina Rossiter
“I want to encourage children to get creative themselves, to make art and to go on a little journey – a journey that helps to recognise the problems of our planet and awakens the desire to make a difference.”
Janina Rossiter
I am convinced that the way we interact with the world is strongly influenced by how we grow up and what we learn at school. The ocean and the protection of our resources are hardly part of the curriculum – yet these topics should be an integral part of it. That's why I go into schools and give talks. I want to encourage children to get creative themselves, to make art and to go on a little journey – a journey that helps to recognise the problems of our planet and awakens the desire to make a difference. For a better future.
In addition to my artistic work, I have published thirteen children's books to date. The latest titles deal with topics such as plastic waste in the ocean and the protection of endangered sea creatures. My aim is to sensitise children to environmental issues at an early age and show them that everyone can make a difference.
© Janina Rossiter
© Janina Rossiter
© Janina Rossiter
© Janina Rossiter
In recent years, I have been very fortunate to be able to exhibit my art worldwide – in galleries, at conferences, in schools and in very different contexts. A particularly significant moment on this journey was during the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow in 2021. There, my illustration of a mangrove tree – originally created for The Marine Diaries - was exhibited in the Blue Zone VIP area, the lounge for heads of state and government.
It all started when I donated this work to the Explorers Against Extinction organisation's Sketch for Survival competition to raise funds for the protection of endangered species. What I didn't know at the time was that the organisation had applied for an exhibition space at COP26 with the project – over 7,000 NGOs and initiatives from all over the world had the same wish. The COP jury finally selected 25 works, of which only five were shown in the VIP area - including my small mangrove illustration.
© Janina Rossiter
I found out about it on 31 October 2021, the opening day of COP26. As the area was so exclusive, there were hardly any photos – so I searched on Twitter. And sure enough, I came across a picture of Angela Merkel and Dr Nigel Clarke, an MP from Jamaica, standing right in front of my illustration.
It was an incredible feeling. I was deeply touched and very grateful that the mangrove - such a valuable but often overlooked ecosystem - was being recognised in this way. The illustration was later shown in the London exhibition Sketch for Survival at the Oxo Gallery in the Southbank Centre. All proceeds from the sale went to Explorers Against Extinction. I was also awarded the title of Artist of the Year – Wild Spaces in the category "Wilderness Spaces".
© Dr. Nigel Clarke
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