CACOPHONY OF COEXISTENCE

Cacophony of Coexistence

Over the course of summer, 2015, I had fallen deeply into a world so divergent from my own. I traveled from hot, sunny, overcrowded Los Angeles, California to Juneau, Alaska, a place with a minute fraction of the population of my city and inside the Tongass National Forest boasting the greatest biomass in the world. As different and overwhelming as it was, it felt all at once so natural: I was home. Home amongst the hemlock and spruce rising tall on cliff sides flanked by eagles adrift on the thermals. Home amongst the gentle giant humpbacks spiraling down deep into the sea. Home amongst the strong and ever changing ice of the glaciers that spills into lakes and rivers and streams feeding and nourishing everything in its wake. Home amongst the rhythmic patterns of the salmon runs, songbird migrations, and the ratio of light to dark as the seasons change. And home amongst the people who have a lust for nature so strong that every moment is spent reveling in it.

Yet it is a land of contrasts, and not all is experienced in perfect delight. The stillness of the muskeg is shattered by the drone of helicopters, one after another, shuttling people onto the glacier’s skin. Pristine forests become littered with plastic, cans and bottles, and the once majestic bear hauls trash from nearby dumpsters. A valiant population of Native Tlingit now deals with issues of poverty and substance abuse. Yet there is much to be celebrated, as we put effort into moving out of eras of domination over land and resources, utilize sustainable energy such as hydroelectric power, and dance and sing with the Tlingit during their Celebration. This body of artwork is an attempt to communicate that the way we consume, move, build, create, give and take has a ripple effect that expands over the earth. We are a part of our ecosystems with extremely valid impact, not simply onlookers. So with great care, we must assume our responsible roles within this cacophony of coexistence.

North 1.3: The Gateway

Ink and Colored Pencil on Vintage 1952 Alaska Topographic Map 23 x 30in

Gateway - Alaska Series