THE WORLD SPINS UNTIL MEDIUM RARE

Introduction

In our Rhetoric class, we briefly went over the idea of "rhetorart" (or some similar collaboration of rhetoric and art, I can't remember), which simply put is just a piece of art with a message conveyed within the piece itself. With this idea though, it doesn't really work with such a bare definition as all art conveys a message, but maybe not the topic "rhetorart" is looking for. We're looking for something we're passionate about enough to dedicate an art piece to. We went on a field experience in Marquette park where we looked at the Martin Luther memorial piece and talked with one of the project members on how and why they incorporated their ideas into their art. We are to do the same, by creating a piece that is purposeful not only in its stylistic appearance but its location as well. Without further ado, I would like to introduce my piece and artist statement explaining my approach and idea. Enjoy.

THE ART PIECE

I am a student in my junior year contributing a piece to the topic of global warming. I chose this topic simply because it's something that is heard all around and warned about to all on its detrimental effects of our future, yet the amount of change we've actually seen doesn't go any farther than the public being told by the companies contributing the most pollution to our planet to change our lifestyle and carbon footprint. 

According to NASA, we're looking at a possible 2-10 degrees increase in temperature permanently in the next century, along with our ice caps melting only increases world-wide floods and engulfment of whole cities in the near future. This is the future we're heading towards with little to absolutely no effort by the main contributors of the problem ceasing to stop. With 71% of carbon emissions being from fossil-fuel companies, the people are no longer the problem, but companies too focused on money-making are too far in to question whether or not they'll be spending their "hard earned" money in the future. 

I've chosen to make the medium of my actual art piece a wax statue molded to represent the CEOs of fossil-fuel companies around the world. This statue would have a rotating arm held around the spinning handle of something mocking a gyro grill. Instead of a fine delicacy being cooked in the center of this grill, it's instead the Earth composed of wax in the center. The grill would be active and hot, most likely with a fire melting both the planet and the statue to create a sense of terror in the actions of selfish company heads. This would be placed in front of or at relative distance from the HQs of the listed contributors of carbon emissions in order for not only press coverage, but also worker exposure to engrave the horrific image and ponder the question if there is good reason past money to continue working. 

The point I want to drive home is primarily symbolism in my art piece. The world is burning and shortly will the people contributing to the cause. The idea of having these individual statues being modeled after CEOs, which will then literally have their faces and body inevitably melted, was designed to create pathos in a less sympathetic way. I want to create fear with my imagery, as in these scenarios it drives the point even further to those that need to hear it. 

The pathos also comes from the workers around the area as well, as they will either resonate or resent the controversy of its piece and create conflict with good intentions for change to spark in these work places. 

This piece obviously has a bit of hyperbole to it due to the fact that we're not exactly near the point of face-melting, but with every cranked spin by the hand of the contributor, the world burns all around slowly but surely. It's an analogy that comes from the fire that burns the artwork, one that I enjoy greatly as I feel the lack of permanence that this artwork has says something about our future as well. 

Conclusion

Too quickly done of a sketch for me to be proud of, to be honest. I would've loved to have created something a little more dedicated to the idea I wanted to portray. but with the time period we had gotten for this project it really only allowed for a fast prototype. Though that is a shame, it still doesn't take away from the ability of pursuing this idea a little further in the future. Given I probably won't unless I need an idea to revisit, it was still fun to imagine what it could be. That's all there is to this one, cheers. 

Sources cited:

https://climate.nasa.gov/effects/  - Statistical analysis information 

https://www.timeout.com/things-to-do/cities-that-could-be-underwater-by-2030 - Hypothetical predictions from global warming made by scientists

https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/jul/10/100-fossil-fuel-companies-investors-responsible-71-global-emissions-cdp-study-climate-change  - Primary contributors of carbon emissions world-wide.