Interview with Anne-Marie Melster

Anne-Marie Melster has been an interdisciplinary curator, committed to social and ecological issues, since 2005. As co-founder and managing director of ARTPORT_making waves, she works across disciplines on projects that seek ecological and social solutions. She is the pioneering curator— a global trailblazer in the field—who focuses on informal education through art and science, always dedicated to the themes of climate change and ocean conservation. She has curated numerous international art exhibitions and projects, including film and video, in collaboration with renowned institutions, organizations, and governments worldwide, including for several UN Climate Conferences, always aligned with the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. Her current WE ARE OCEAN Global Program, supported by UNESCO as a project of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030), aims to foster youth empowerment and public engagement through contemporary art, sciences, and informal education. In this context, she is a seasoned speaker at international conferences and an advisor to universities and publications. Her worldview is rooted in ecologically conscious, interdisciplinary, collaborative, and intercultural thinking. She is a member of the German Ocean Decade Committee.

How have your personal experiences led you to do what you do today? Share your experiences and what you do today, along with your motivation. Share how you grew up, what defines you, what has had a lasting impact on you, and what remains true today.

I grew up on the North Sea coast, shaped by the Wadden Sea, the stiff breeze, and the wide fields. Being part of nature was always central to my life, living with the seasons, swimming in the sea year-round in all weather, giving me the strength I needed for my life.

After studying Hispanic studies, art history, and political science in Hamburg, I moved to a global company in southern Germany and later founded my own business in Hamburg.

After a career in art consulting and dealing, I decided 20 years ago to bring more content and environmental engagement into my work and co-founded ARTPORT_making waves with a partner in New York: contemporary art, science, and informal education focused on climate change and, today, ocean protection. This was a necessity, not an economic decision.

I've always been determined and persistent—traits I inherited and learned from my parents—wanting, like them, to always do things with a clear conscience and integrity. In the art world, this was often very challenging and pushed me to my limits. The lack of ethics and values in today’s world deeply distresses me.

I wanted to create my own professional field from my studies, life experiences, language skills, and commitment. This was only possible through an organization like ARTPORT_making waves, where I could independently create projects on climate change with artists, scientists, and educational institutions.

Share the key challenges you’ve had to overcome to be where you are today. Share your experiences and how you resolved these challenges.

The first years of ARTPORT_making waves were somewhat challenging. I was a pioneer in this field at a time when society didn’t take climate change seriously, the art world dismissed us as "populist," and science and politics weren’t sure what to do with our art project. Today, this is no longer questioned, as we not only understand but painfully feel the consequences of human-made climate change.

I persevered because I believed in our idea and earned the necessary money through other commissions.

After just a few years, we received our first commission from various UN organizations and governments to curate an exhibition on women and climate change for COP15 in Copenhagen. This was the starting point for many subsequent projects in numerous countries with various partner organizations. It was also something of a "knighting," giving us the necessary credibility after years of being "laughed at."

I wanted to give a positive impulse for societal change through my work, which has always been a calling for me, not a societal obligation.

I'm somewhat proud that I persevered and am now internationally recognized as an interdisciplinary curator with ARTPORT, and that we have already worked with millions of people worldwide.

What motivated and motivates you, who inspired and still inspires you? Who was/is your role model, why, and how did this support you? How do your family and friends feel about this? Share special experiences and moments with us.

At the age of 13, I was already reading books that were philosophical, holistic, and political. Of course, I only understood half of it, but it gave me a great impetus for my future. I never had role models because, back then, there were no female examples for me that brought together what I aimed to do: driving societal change in the areas of environment and social issues. At some point, I decided to be my own role model and build my own system, always anchored in the bigger picture.

My family never really understood what I was doing, nor did they want to, as they live in a different world. To them, it was "art without bread." That hurt—I always fought for recognition from my parents because don’t we all want to make our parents proud? It was only after my father’s death that I learned how proud he was of me. My friends are mostly on my wavelength, they understand me, admire my perseverance and vision. Others turned away, as the constant engagement with the environment and ethics eventually annoyed them. I can live with that. I also enjoy being alone; I don’t need a court of admirers around me. Alone in the sea, the forest, the mountains, swimming in a lake: moments of drawing strength, meditation, and new ideas. In the end, life is always about quality, not quantity.

Almost 30 years ago, I spent some time living in Honduras. The life and people there opened my mind to sustainability and spiritual thinking.

Ten years ago, I survived breast cancer, and since then, I’ve shaped my life more decisively, more visionarily, and even more persistently. I only wanted good people and good ideas in my life, to truly make a difference.

Explain exactly what you do and the unique aspects (innovation, sustainability) of your services/products/solutions.

As an interdisciplinary curator, I bring together artists, scientists, students, politicians, curators, and other voices from our society in projects that particularly focus on ocean conservation through my WE ARE OCEAN program. I write the concepts, find the experts, apply for funding, implement partnerships, and coordinate these projects with international conferences such as COP Climate, COP Biodiversity, UN Ocean Conferences, and others. This also includes communication, strategic thinking, and accounting.

My ARTPORT projects move entire generations because young people are introduced to topics that would normally be too scientific, too difficult, too dry for them. Through this work, we generate the necessary "youth empowerment," strengthening the self-esteem of the young people who participate in our projects.

We try to organize and structure these projects as sustainably as possible in terms of transport, materials (for instance, we no longer curate exhibitions where artworks have to be shipped worldwide), communication materials, sponsors, and venues.

What are your next personal and professional goals, and how will you approach them?

My professional goals are always my personal ones! I’m currently building the ARTPORT Residency, with a magical residency location in southern France. A place where creative people—whether from art, literature, science, politics, music, architecture, design, sociology, philosophy, or other fields—can reflect, retreat, research, and work for one to two months, always on the themes of climate change, sustainability, and ocean conservation. A place where disciplines meet to shape a better planetary future. Details will be available by the end of the year! We are, of course, looking for strong partners to accompany us on this journey.

How do you deal with polycrises and developments in the world? How do you manage difficult and stressful situations?

The last two years have been especially hard for me, with one crisis following another. I consciously chose grief, not suppression. I spent a lot of time in nature, in the forest, and by the sea, but I always sorted and managed my work and the responsibilities these situations brought. Step by step, I handled everything. It’s important not to lose control due to overwhelming emotions.

What does sustainability mean to you?

Sustainability begins in the morning: waking up early, sorting my senses, exercising, having a healthy breakfast so I am strong for the day, and not getting knocked around like a tennis ball by events and people, making bad decisions in the process. Sustainability is always a choice: avoiding plastic, using little water, choosing low-carbon transport whenever possible, sending as few emails and WhatsApp messages as possible, not smoking, consuming little (clothing, decoration, electronics), and buying healthy food, preferably organic and from local producers. Sustainability also means caring for my family and friends, my cat, my plants, feeding the hedgehog outside, sweeping around my house, because sustainability is also about respect and care for my environment. Sustainability is quality of life—it’s not about quantity. My life has become so much more beautiful.

What is the most important innovation for you and why?

The most important innovation is the realization that we need to stop our postmodern lives and look at traditional ways of living, recognizing that the most sustainable life is the one that has the least impact on nature. That’s more like squeezing a lemon by hand instead of buying the latest solar-powered lemon squeezer.

Beyond that, I’d love to see more innovations based on the power of sailing. A great example is Sailcoop in France: its founder, Maxime de Rostolan, who started the sustainable farming cooperative "Fermes d’Avenir" many years ago. Sailcoop offers sailing ferry services in France to counter the extremely harmful ferry ships.

The German version of this interview is also published on the author's blog. illuminem Voices is a democratic space presenting the thoughts and opinions of leading Sustainability & Energy writers, their opinions do not necessarily represent those of illuminem.