View in a Space
My Zoo is in Decline 2023
by Jonathan Oakes
Mixed Media on Photograph (acrylic,conte crayon, pencil and ballpoint pen)
|
h 20 x w 29 x d 1 cm h 7.9 x w 11.4 x d 0.4 in |
£300.00
(without frame)
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Description
My Zoo is in Decline: All the wonderful diversity of life, will, no doubt soon fade. As more and more pressure is applied by one individual species. The pressure is caused and is compounded by the need to feed the overpopulated. To supply the demand of the ever increasing population. Then huge natural areas are put to waste or put to fields of grasslands or designated to be middle income housing projects. Massive squared kilometres of mono-cropping, uniform planting, no diversity allowed.
The hostile takeover by the dominant species, all to prove a point, all in the name of progress. A progress toward extinction, too pious to care about the delicately balanced ecosystems. Not understanding that these ecosystems are the key to how the Earth survives. The self-imposed masters, too unknowledgeable to see the wonders of the connections, too stupid and too arrogant to take part, keeping themselves disconnected from the common truth. Taking apart the infrastructure, dislodging and destroying the key species, which are vital to keep the systems functioning. Taking away parts of the living Earth.
Zoos have a role in the preservation of species, they protect certain species from the dangers of poaching, loss of habitat and conflict with local peoples. In turn these species and the zoos hope to breed and be released back into their natural environments far from a deforestation zone or to a safe place where they will not come into conflict with humankind, wherever that place may be. Zoos educate about conservation and give a large amount of people an opportunity to see the supposed wild animals up close. Most of the animals on display nowadays are born in captivity. Are they still classed as wild? Can they be re-wilded? Do we only save the popular and obvious species, the cute, cuddly and charismatic? All animal species in their natural environments are reliant on the natural ecosystems that they, in turn are also a part of. Where can the released be placed? Not back into the non-wild, the ecosystem has already been seriously damaged. No place to safely call home. A broader, long term view must be sought as we lay waste to all this beauty.