Exhibition Preview- Jonas Staal and Radha D’Souza: CICC: The British East India Company on Trial

The Court for Intergenerational Climate Crimes (CICC) is a tribunal that prosecutes climate crimes by states and corporations. The latest iteration of the CICC, the case against the British East India Company (EIC), demonstrates how the legal, economic, and ideological systems established by the EIC remain alive and active today. It affirms the claim that climate crimes are in fact colonial crimes. The CICC is now touring the evidence, with its latest presentation taking place at Blenheim Walk Gallery, Leeds Arts University. 

The inauguration of the exhibition will take the form of an evidentiary hearing during which D’Souza will introduce the legal framework of the CICC and the case against the British East India Company, and be questioned by legal scholars, historians and activists. The public is invited to participate as members of the jury and vote on the materials presented. Curator Lucia Pietroiusti will act as Clerk of service and oversee procedural matters.

The evidentiary hearing will begin at 5pm. If you would like to visit the exhibition, please arrive beforehand. As audiences act as a public jury for the evidentiary hearing, attending a hearing commits you to stay for the full session.

Please note: Bags may be checked on arrival so allow extra time for security checks. If possible, please leave large bags and rucksacks at home as we do not have the facilities to store these, or any other items of personal property. We reserve the right to not allow any bag, parcel or other item to be brought into the building.

If you’d like to speak to a team member about any access or additional needs, please email curatorial@leeds-art.ac.uk or telephone 0113 202 8000.

Image credit: Court for Intergenerational Climate Crimes: Extinction Wars, 2023, Radha D’Souza and Jonas Staal, Gwangju Art Museum, Photo: Jonas Staal.