Look out for Elise's artwork, soon to be turned into a mural!!!!!!

Elise Rm17 and Seoha Rm17 were first and second respectively in the Speaking for the Planet Art Competition. The theme was “Enough Already: Consume with Care”

The funding for painting the Speaking for the Planet murals at Climate Action Campus has come through and, as Elise was the  winner of the 7-8 art section, she will be working with a mural artist, Reuben, to transfer her artwork onto a wall of a building at the Climate Campus.

Rachel (kaiako at the campus) and Reuben will meet with Elise to plan the mural.

We are so excited, and are looking forward to seeing this artwork, and its message, on a large scale.

The theme for her artwork was as a result of finding out that by 2050 there will be more plastic in the sea than fish, this horrified Elise.

https://www.wwf.org.uk/myfootprint/challenges/will-there-be-more-plastic-fish-sea

The background was printed using painted pieces of plastic and rolling them on a piece of card. Then she made stencils of the soy sauce fish and printed an outline, then spray painted (with a brush) the detail. The fish bubbles were made by printing bubble wrap. The artwork was made using lots of recycled material, plastic, cardboard, fabric, bubblewrap, tissue paper and a lot of lunchtimes.

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Seoha's artwork was inspired by the image of an Albatross who died of starvation, as its stomach was so full of plastic it was unable to absorb enough food. Not only is the Albatross on the endangered species list, it is also a sacred bird for Māori. Albatross represent beauty and power. "Wearing albatross feathers or bone pendants conferred these qualities on the wearer, usually a person of rank. Garlands of feathers sometimes adorned the prow of waka taua (war canoes). Albatrosses are depicted in cave drawings and in meeting houses." (https://teara.govt.nz/en/albatrosses/page-1)

https://oceana.org/blog/albatross-new-zealand-died-after-swallowing-plastic-bottle-new-video-shows/

https://albatross.org.nz/royal-albatross/

This is Seoha's statement

"My main focus of my artwork is an albatross. While researching for the competition, I found out about albatrosses. The albatross is a bird that has the longest wings for a bird that is still alive. To Maori, albatrosses signifies beauty and power. Their feathers represent peace. Albatross is taonga in Maori. These magnificent creatures are currently endangered. Scientists say that albatrosses will be extinct by 2050. The cause of their endangerment is waste created by humans and illegal fishing. Plastic in the oceans confuse the albatrosses into thinking it is fish when in reality it is the cause of their death. Not only is this harming the albatrosses, this is harming us. The purpose of my artwork is to show what our Taonga are consuming and what we are creating."

Both artworks are shocking visual declarations about the state of the planet and that plastic is not just rubbish, it kills!

How will you reduce your use of plastic?

How can you persuade others to reduce their use of plastic?

How will you consume with care?

How will you continue to speak for the planet?