Reflection

My artwork was inspired by the irony in this situation – where increased rainfalls that led to a profusion of flowers used to be considered as an early indication of spring. This is a sign that global warming has completely taken over. My work was based on the apparent disparity between classical representations of beautiful things and how they are currently viewed with relation to the ecology. The creation process involved self-reflection that was highly gloomy. It made me feel nostalgic about times when a blooming flower simply brought joy and not fear about environmental disequilibrium. The mixed emotions that come along with observing and depicting changes in nature are captured in this creative journey. I intend to move people from solely admiring natural blooms, into perceiving them as signals of danger and destruction. The artwork is an invitation to recognize the paradoxicality of something that once stood for life now representing decay: thus urging collective action against climate change. Through my research, I have learned about the delicate processes by which climate change can influence local weather patterns and hence affect plant phenology such as flowering. Elevated levels of carbon dioxide, warming temperatures, and altered precipitation patterns all combine to make plants bloom either earlier or more profusely than what has been normal in the past. Research reveals that these are not isolated incidents but part of a worrying trend that can disturb ecosystems and its inhabitants. For instance, premature blooming may cause conflicts between pollen availability and pollinator biological clocks, thereby affecting food webs and diversity. This in-depth understanding of ecological consequences of abnormal climate conditions has stressed the urgency with which global response mechanisms must address climate change, while simultaneously managing regional and local impacts.