Warning for Congressmen

Artwork Details

Description

A piece of environmentally conscious art, made with a discarded panel from another artist, an array of garbage, and (ironically) acrylic paint. Depicted is a chilly day at a rocky Maine beach. I used various materials otherwise destined for the landfill (or the ocean) to create texture as well as a statement. A brown plastic grocery bag stretched thinly became dry grasses. A plastic produce net stretched and gessoed across the panel provided a matrix for the rocky ground. Most obviously, the sign (which did exist in my reference photo) is made from a can of soda, a plastic straw, and two found real nails too short for any practical use. My title and the sign in the piece are a message. The wealthy and powerful in our society have proven unwilling to make sacrifices to keep our Earth habitable. The lives of many others are at stake, but that is a price they are willing to pay to keep making money. Though the sign in real life is to be taken literally, mine has another meaning: when the ocean rises, even the wealthy will swim.