Origami Extinction - Desert Elephant of Namibia III (2019) Fotografie door Vethan Sautour

The aim of the "Origami Extinction" photographic series is to raise awareness on the disappearance and endangerment of animal species by closing the gap between subject and viewer.

Through shapes, shadows and textures, I photograph a number of origami equivalent to the remainder of existing individuals of a given species to enable the spectator to apprehend in a visual, instantaneous manner the danger of their imminent extinction. Instead of shock value, poetry and beauty have been considered a more efficient tool for reaching a lasting effect on onlookers and spur interest.

The artistic objective is to confer an intellectual reality to these beings, so as to raise empathy, understanding and stir viewers into action. Whilst the hues are representative of the animals' true shades and environment, the blank spaces draw their influence from Japanese traditional "nihonga" art, in which artists used to leave a part of the canvas empty for the onlooker to be able to project his thoughts and contemplate his soul.

"Based on historic records and archaeological evidence, Namibia's desert elephants once ranged along ephemeral rivers from the Kunene River in the north (along the border with Angola) to the Kuiseb River in central Namibia (at the northern edge of the massive dune fields that characterize the Southern Namib Desert). However, because of historic over-hunting, wartime poaching, and ongoing human-elephant conflict and poaching, the range of desert elephants has been reduced to five subpopulations along the Hoarusib, Hoanib, Uniab, Huab, and Ugab Rivers. There are approximately 150 desert elephants remaining. [...]

The Desert Lion and Elephant Conservation promotes the long-term conservation of Namibia’s desert-dwelling lion and elephant populations through research, monitoring, and the sharing of knowledge" - Desert Lion and Elephant Conservation.

Verwante thema's

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