This is my final outcome from the Alternus Sustainable Arts Initiative award. The brief involved designing a poster to be displayed on a defunct solar panel. I made this animation with the intention of projecting it onto the solar panel. I also wrote and produced the music for this project specifically, which was all made on Logic Pro X. In order to fit the brief, I provided a poster derived from the frames of the animation. My entry was awarded the 'Out of the Box Award,' which was a scholarship prize worth 3,000 euros.
Rationale: Humans are deeply interconnected with natural elements, and our survival depends on how we care for these elements. Humans and natural elements are one entity. The Earth is one single interconnected organism.
Despite nature once being sacred and worshipped, we have lost love and respect for the planet that has housed us for millions of years. We continue to exploit the offerings of our planet for monetary gain. Since the 16th century, we have impacted nature in practically every part of the world. We are driving species towards extinction, deforestation, and causing direct negative impacts on people across the world. Is there a way we can use natural elements without exploiting them?
When I first saw the grid on the solar panel, I thought of the works of Agnes Martin, who devoted her time and practice to creating mathematical grids on 6x6 ft canvases, which was her signature format. She was deeply influenced by nature and said, "Nature is like parting a curtain, you go into it." Despite the geometric appearance of her work, she was inspired by the joys, simplicities, and innocence of everyday life. She was influenced by Taoism and Zen Buddhism, which contributed to her interest in nature and can be seen captured in her work if you examine it beyond a first glance.
I hope this work communicates the demonstrated proof that we cannot ensure the survival of the human species without taking care of our planet first.
https://alternussustainablearts.com/artwork/oonagh-obrien/