IT IS TIME

IT IS TIME is a new work by TED Senior Fellow artists Alicia Eggert and David Moinina Sengeh, creating a sense of urgency – and ownership – about climate change.

This flashing neon sign says IT IS TIME, and the words "MY," "YOUR," "OUR," and "ABOUT" flash on and off in the center. The sign’s message aims to create a sense of ownership as well as a sense of urgency about the issue of climate change. It’s a reminder that the time to act is now.

For TED Countdown, on 10.10.2020, a temporary version of the sign is displayed on a moving trailer in Dallas, Texas. The sign is moving around town, and will also be parked in front of the Dallas Museum of Art (2-5pm), and the Klyde Warren Park (5-8pm) in the city.

A permanent installation of this sign will be created on top of a building in Sierra Leone’s capital city of Freetown, so it can become an iconic symbol of empowerment for the country.

“If you were told you only had 6 months left to live, you would probably change your life or behavior in order to make the most of that time. To imagine or be reminded that our days are numbered can help us focus on what truly matters and encourage us to break patterns of procrastination and inaction”

— Alicia Eggert

This work is part of our global art action with Countdown, TED’s global initiative to champion and accelerate solutions to the climate crisis. We worked with a group of TED Fellows on ten public artworks, all launching on 10.10.2020 in ten cities around the world. The goal – to raise awareness for Countdown, while translating key climate issues in ways that spur imaginations and trigger participation. See all projects here.

THE ARTISTS

Alicia Eggert (b. 1981) is an interdisciplinary artist whose work gives material form to language and time, those powerful but invisible forces that shape our perception of reality. Her work has been exhibited at notable institutions nationally and internationally, including the CAFA Art Museum in Beijing, the Triennale Design Museum in Milan, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Everson Museum of Art, and many more. Alicia is the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including a TED Fellowship, a Washington Award from the S&R Foundation, a Direct Artist Grant from the Harpo Foundation, an Artist Microgrant from the Nasher Sculpture Center, and an Individual Artist Fellowship from the Maine Arts Commission. Recent solo exhibitions have been held at Galeria Fernando Santos (Porto, Portugal), The MAC (Dallas, TX) and T+H Gallery (Boston, MA). Eggert is an Associate Professor of Studio Art at the University of North Texas and she lives in Denton, Texas. She is represented by Galeria Fernando Santos in Porto, Portugal, and Liliana Bloch Gallery in Dallas.

David Moinina Sengeh (b. 1987) is Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, and the Chief Innovation Officer for the Government of Sierra Leone.

Hon. Minister Dr. David Moinina Sengeh provides strategic and policy leadership for both the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education and the Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation.

Hon. Dr. Sengeh is a biomechatronics engineer and data scientist who holds several patents from academia and the private sector, and is widely published across the education, healthcare, AI and policy domains. He has received several international awards/honors and is the current Chair of the GEM Report Advisory Board.

Hon. Dr. Sengeh is an afrobeat music rapper, and clothing designer.