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Mother Nature looks at You. Acrylic, oil, ink, pastel, on paper, 96.5 x 67 cm.
Over the years, many generations have grown up with a certain biased viewpoint; That of the innocent girl (Red Riding Hood) who is almost a victim of a wicked and “violent” wolf, a symbol of cunning, exploitation and abuse. Societies have objected against the wolf, a critical keystone species in a healthy ecosystem.
In this unique painting the widely open eyes of a wolf confront us directly through a computer screen, expressing both threat and fear. This powerful gaze provokes the viewer to face the side of a wolf victimized; to “reveal” its own natural rights. Looking deep in these eyes we are asked to get for a while in the same position. This digital image represents Nature as a whole, that is threatened daily, while we choose to watch these dramatic changes passively from our computer or TV screen. Virtual reality, though, stays far beyond real life. Through the painterly vividness of this situation, the hope of transforming and renegotiating our relationship with Nature is activated.
It turns out that digital technology (used in the creative process of this work) although highly criticized for its environmental impact, can play a positive role for minimizing, if not reversing, the damage.