GREAT BARRIER REEF QUARTET (2018)

Artist Statement:

This quartet explores the Great Barrier Reef, which is being destroyed by climate change, overfishing and farm pollution. In addition, the crown-of-thorns starfish, which occurs naturally on reefs throughout the Indo-Pacific region, and when conditions are right, plagues proportions and devastate hard coral communities. Research has revealed crown-of-thorns starfish are a major cause of coral loss on the Great Barrier Reef, after coral bleaching.

This series uses acrylic paint, pouring medium, candle wax and smoke to interpret how both climate change and the crown-of-thorns starfish are devasting the Great Barrier Reef with each artwork showing a progression towards the reef’s inevitable destruction.