Untitled 6/6/18

My painting, “untitled 6/6/18”, embodies the leucistic Axolotl to symbolize the endangered species that are endemic to underwater caverns in Mexico City. The top message, “Pollution Kills”, is meant to represent how the Mexican Axolotl became practically extinct in its natural habitat due to extensive human-attributed pollution. This also is indicative in its placement directly above the Axolotl, meaning the message really says “Pollution kills Axolotls”. The bottom message, “Primero los Axolotls”, is a Spanish message that translates to “First, the Axolotls”. This is meant to give homage to the human-attributed extinctions that undergo globally at alarming rates. As the Axolotls are extinct in their natural habitats, the loss of the Axolotl reduces the amount of biodiversity that can lead to the eradication of species that relied on the Axolotl for sustenance or survival. So first the Axolotls, and next it’s another critter or creature.

I want this painting to inspire people to be more conscious of reducing our respective carbon footprint, and encourage ingenious methods of cleaning litter in the sea and in our land. The Axolotl has suffered at the hands of human recklessness, and its loss should serve as a lesson to remind us all to step up our passion for reducing pollution. I am worried that people still use a lot of waste, especially in a capitalistic society such as the one we currently live in. If those individuals that have the resources available to reduce their carbon footprint actually committed to it, it would allow for a gradual reduction in pollution in our lakes and oceans. Through this painting, I hope to inspire like-minded, indifferent, and challenging individuals to think about giving love to endangered species and to the environment.