PangeaSeed Foundation is pleased to announce the first fine art print release of 2022 for their educational print program, Printed Oceans. Featuring original artwork by supporting ARTivist Kristen Liu-Wong (USA). "Troubled Waters" is a limited screenprint art edition highlighting biodiversity loss and the impact that humans have on the delicate ocean environment. It is our responsibility to right these wrongs.
Nature is declining globally at rates unprecedented in human history and the rate of species extinctions is accelerating, with grave impacts on people around the world. Did you know fishing gear makes up approximately 10% of the estimated 8 million tons of plastic that enter our oceans every year? Between 500,000 to 1 million tons of fishing gear are lost or discarded in the sea every year. Also known as ghost fishing gear, discarded robes, nets, and lines make up about 46% of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch between the US mainland and Hawaii.
Title: "Troubled Waters"
Edition sizes: Regular Edition on 100# Cougar Smooth Opaque paper, 11-color screenprint, 65 signed and numbered prints | Rainbow Edition on rainbow holographic foil paper, 12-color screenprint, 35 signed and numbered prints
Dimensions: 16x20 inches
Pricing: Regular edition $120 per print plus shipping | Rainbow Edition $170 per print plus shipping
Artist statement:
"I chose to address the issue of biodiversity loss for my piece “Troubled Waters”. When I began researching my topic, I became deeply alarmed to learn that the rate of animal extinction is 1-10 thousand times higher than the natural extinction rate, and marine species populations have declined by 49% just from 1970 to 2012.
One of the areas that have been devastated most by the growing impact of human activities is the oceans’ coral reefs, which act as the lungs of the ocean. In Florida alone, 80-90% of the coral has died and in just 30 years the world has lost 50% of its coral. Not only is this a terrible loss of life that deeply affects all of the species that live around and rely on the reefs, but this loss of coral also has resounding consequences in terms of the weather, as we see a change to the frequency and intensity of tropical storms.
I was deeply moved by the documentary “Chasing Coral” which looked at the devastation that global warming has unleashed on our oceans and highlighted the efforts of scientists to save the reefs from these massive bleaching events. One of these scientists was Dr. Ruth Gates, whose pioneering work in reef conservation through human-assisted evolution was also highlighted in Nova’s “Reef Rescue”. I was really inspired by her and the other scientists who continue to persist in their efforts to save these precious environments despite society’s indifference, so the main figure in my piece is the embodiment of their fierce and heroic efforts.
Because overfishing is one of the leading causes of biodiversity loss, I decided to show the figure and other creatures working together to free those caught in a net. I also thought it was important to highlight the threat of extinction so I made sure I included endangered species like the Humphead wrasse, the Loggerhead sea turtle, and the weedy seadragon." Kristen Liu-Wong -
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