2051, Pets Gone Under
Closter, NJ
2022, Senior, Art (2014 – 2023)
Reflection
Reflection
I have lived most of my life near the ocean, and subsequently, have come to realize the danger that climate change poses to me and those around me—something very real that already affects some regions of the world. However, it’s hard for most people to see the gradual rise of sea levels, measured in millimeter growths, as a threat. I wanted to display the threat that climate change poses to us and our lives in a representative but lighthearted tone, so taking inspiration from my ownership of a pet dog, I instead envisioned what the pets of a future humanity wading through rising sea levels and mountains of trash would look like. In a future with many cities and towns eventually drowned by rising sea levels, I thought it would only be natural that the pets we take care of would change to fit our surroundings as well, with terrestrial pets like cats and dogs being replaced with aquatic sea creatures like octopuses and sea bass. While this might be slightly comedic, the message I’m trying to deliver is ultimately a warning about the future that’s to come if climate change isn’t properly acted upon, as living in a world of flooded towns amongst miles and miles of garbage is a very real threat.