“Creatively, my hope for this hero image is to attract entrepreneurs who can harness technology to create ‘good’ in the world.”
I was honoured to be commissioned by the innovation hub of the National Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Mahuki, to create their hero campaign image for 2018. Coinciding with the renewal of Te Papa's natural history exhibition, ideas around climate change and 'doing good' for the planet were the inspiration for 2018.
Gaia is the personification of the Earth. The ancestral mother of all life: the primal Mother Earth goddess. A heroine. Also, known as ‘Papatuanuku’ the earth goddess is a powerful figure I want to cherish, raise up high and celebrate with this artwork.
Looking specifically at global issues of power, sustainability, climate change, the endangerment of animals and mankind’s relentless mass consumption, the challenge for applicants to the Mahuki programme is turn our community and culture’s ‘story’ into one of hope and action – a story where we won’t have to worry what our mother or mother nature will think of what we do.
Elements from Te Papa Tongarewa’s own collection as well as photos from my own personal archive have been carefully remixed to tell this story.
“Gaia sits amongst her environment, fan in-hand as things are certainly hotting up... from a distance [the scene] looks beautiful, but once you look closer the true story starts to unfold. ”
Gaia sits amongst her environment, fan in-hand as things are certainly hotting up. Dragonflies, butterflies, epic flowers and other natural forms, unfold and cocoon Gaia. Bees collect pollen, trees flourish and colours are vivid. Playing off these natural elements, stacks of rubbish are bulldozed into Gaia, high-rise buildings soar and cranes and drills harness Gaia’s power. Smokestacks, emit polluted air and polar caps melt. We see a polar bear fleeing, and lion sitting looking on pensively. Colours are muted, darker and in some instances mimic nature (blue balloons take on the appearance of a blue sky or water, but in fact are ecologically at odds).
This collision of material makes for a stunning image that from a distance looks beautiful, but once you look closer the true story starts to unfold.
Mankind and our behaviour are having real affects on Gaia. There is no denying it. So how can this next generation of innovators help? Time will tell ... Let Gaia inspire creative solutions to change mankind’s ways before it's too late.