Global warming is a big concept that can be hard to grasp, and it is easy to glaze over when confronted with a raft of scientific statistics about temperatures and predicted sea level rises.

Key points: An international art-science exhibition called 'Equilibrium', will be held in Venice, Italy, in June, highlighting climate change and deforestation

An international art-science exhibition called 'Equilibrium', will be held in Venice, Italy, in June, highlighting climate change and deforestation NSW artist, Beric Henderson, and Melbourne-based art group, Skunk Control, have been invited to be part of the exhibition

NSW artist, Beric Henderson, and Melbourne-based art group, Skunk Control, have been invited to be part of the exhibition It's hoped the artworks will help raise conversations about climate change and possible solutions

Art, however, is a medium that is often more likely to engage people on an emotional level and international art exhibitions are increasingly focussing on environmental themes and climate change.

One of the latest is an art-science exhibition called 'Equilibrium', which will be held in Venice, Italy, in June.

It is been organised by Berlin-based curator, Mary Patricia Warming, and will feature the work of 18 international artists or groups, including two from Australia.

Australia art group, Skunk Control creates large art installations which are often designed around science and environmental themes, and will be part of the Venice exhibition. ( Supplied: Skunk Control )

One of them is Beric Henderson, an artist who grew up in Sydney and is now based in Port Macquarie, on the New South Wales mid-north coast.

Mr Henderson's involvement has been supported by a grant from the Regional Arts Fund NSW.

"The aim of the exhibition is really to educate people about the looming crisis in terms of the environment, in addition to global warming, and to address possible solutions," he said.

"Trying to raise awareness and give people hope.

Artist and former research scientist, Beric Henderson hopes to increase awareness of global warming and encourage people to be more aware of the environment. ( ABC News: Emma Siossian )

"I think the Equilibrium exhibition distinguishes itself, in that it involves input from actual scientists, engineers and ecologists.

"It's a wide cross section of works, it includes installations, paintings and sculptures."

Mr Henderson is submitting five paintings which are part of a 'Tree of Man' series.

"They show silhouettes of humans against a backdrop of vegetation and the human figures are embedded with life and nature," he said.

"It's about how I hope we will evolve to a point where our species is more in tune with nature, and it's all about the connections with the environment.

This painting 'Family Tree' by Beric Henderson shows human figures full of life and nature and aims to highlight the need for more connection with the environment. ( Supplied: Beric Henderson )

"My background was as a research scientist for almost 30 years — that's why there is often a strong science element in the work I produce."

When science and art combine

This art work by Skunk Control appeared in Melbourne's St Paul's Cathedral, titled 'Altar to the future'. ( Supplied: Skunk Control )

The other Australian group invited to take part in the Venice exhibition is called 'Skunk Control', a team of university engineers and scientists based at Victoria University, in Melbourne.

Skunk Control creates large, eye-catching public art installations for festivals and events, which often incorporate light, sound and kinetic movement.

Founder, Nick Athanasiou, said they had found art to be a great way to communicate ideas, both to students and the public, and to engage people more in maths and science concepts.

"We found that not only were the community enjoying the art, but they now had questions, or rather sought out answers, as to how the art installations were made and how they operated," he said.

A wide view of Skunk Control's 'Altar to the Future' featured in St Paul's Cathedral. ( Supplied: Skunk Control )

"We managed to allow the public to enter through the doorway of art and come out through the science door.

"Similarly, we managed to bring those more aligned to science and get them to exit the art door.

Skunk Control installation, 'Bastions of lights' at Brisbane Botanical Gardens. ( Supplied: Skunk Control )

"Both arts and science share the discovery process we believe, they prompt questions, they tackle you and they make you seek answers."

Skunk Control has gained international attention since it formed in 2012 and Mr Athanasiou, said the team was delighted to have been invited to the Venice exhibition.

This Skunk Control art installation will feature in the Venice exhibition and is called 'Fragment of dynamic equilibrium (Decipher)'. ( Supplied: Skunk Control )

"It does mean a great deal, particularly as we have recently established ourselves and our backgrounds have been mainly in the science and engineering fields," he said.

Skunk Control will exhibit two installations in Venice and Mr Athanasiou said one was essentially a large flower head that had an internal eco system, in constant change.

More art exhibitions focussing on climate change

This painting by Beric Henderson is titled 'Symbiosis' and will feature in the Venice art-science exhibition. ( Supplied: Beric Henderson )

Mr Henderson said prominent art exhibitions were increasingly focussing on environmental issues.

"The environment is a hot topic this year at the Biennale in Venice, with the overarching theme being 'May you live in interesting times'," he said.

Skunk Control's work, 'Epiphany's Genesis', which was hosted by Museum's Victoria and combines science with art. ( Supplied: Skunk Control )

"Here in Australia some upcoming art prizes including the Banyule Award for Works on Paper and the R.M. McGivern Prize for Painting, both in Victoria, are also strongly focused on the environment and climate change."

The Venice 'Equilibrium' exhibition will open on June 1 at the Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello and the 58th Venice Biennale runs from May 11 to November 24.