Protect

Hello everyone!

A challenge was around social media this past week #OurPlanetWeek with prompts to raise awareness about the current environmental crisis we are facing. This crucial question being at the core of my work, I had to participate.
I should add that the coming posts about the prompts will be brutally honest and not sugar coated. The art is always colorful (and I hope you’ll find it beautiful) but the message behind is harsh.

The first prompt was “Protect”, and admittedly I didn’t like it. I’m always a bit annoyed at the idea that we humans need to protect something that we keep destroying.
This vision is problematic because it puts us in the centre, at an almost god-like position, where we can simply reach out our hands and protect the oppressed.
When in reality, in terms of species and evolution, we are the last to arrive to the party. Only we arrived completely wasted and are putting the house on fire.
Our environment doesn’t need protection, it needs us to drastically change.

As long as we do not understand that over-production, over-consumption, and our ill-treatment of waste and resources are Earth's and our own downfall, conservation will never be enough. That being said, conservation is our strongest weapon against the current mass extinction, so on top of changing society, support the work of conservationists ❤️

The octopus is looking for a warm home and can be found here.
Otherwise you can also get prints or stickers of it in my Redbubble shop.