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Leatherbacks and Jellies
by Melissa Stang
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Jellfish bottles - Motivation from work: Plastic garbage suspended in water in water has an uncannny resemblance to jellyfish. Therefore, animals that eat jellyfish (turtles, fish, even some whales) ingest plastic and it often kills them.
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2008 Jellyfish bottle - Jellyfish populations are exploding worldwide. There are several theories:
1) They are actually responding favorably to rising ocean temperatures
2) As we remove their primary predators (turtles, fish) through overfishing or fishery by-catch, they are free to grow unhindered
3) Jellyfish eat fish larvae, so fish that are already in trouble have a harder time building back their populations. Scary, huh?
1) They are actually responding favorably to rising ocean temperatures
2) As we remove their primary predators (turtles, fish) through overfishing or fishery by-catch, they are free to grow unhindered
3) Jellyfish eat fish larvae, so fish that are already in trouble have a harder time building back their populations. Scary, huh?
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Various install views - 2009 I've have been experimenting with the best way to install these objects. I'm not done yet.
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Purple jellyfish bottle - 2009 Marker and acrylic on acetate suspended in plastic bottle with 'halo' of tendrils made from shredded six-pack holders and fishing line.
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Violet Jellyfish bottle - 2009
Marker and acrylic on acetate suspended in plastic bottle with 'halo' of tendrils made from shredded six-pack holders and fishing line.
Marker and acrylic on acetate suspended in plastic bottle with 'halo' of tendrils made from shredded six-pack holders and fishing line.
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Partial install View - 2009
Marker and acrylic on acetate suspended in plastic bottle with 'halo' of tendrils made from shredded six-pack holders and fishing line.
Marker and acrylic on acetate suspended in plastic bottle with 'halo' of tendrils made from shredded six-pack holders and fishing line.
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2009
Marker and acrylic on acetate suspended in plastic bottle with 'halo' of tendrils made from shredded six-pack holders and fishing line.
Marker and acrylic on acetate suspended in plastic bottle with 'halo' of tendrils made from shredded six-pack holders and fishing line.
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'Leatherbacks and Jellies" - In 2005, I had the unique opportunity to study the critically endangered Leatherback turtle in Costa Rica. The primary food of Leatherbacks is jellyfish. Plastic floating around in the ocean resembles jellyfish, so the turtles eat it and die. The plastic blocks their internal digestive and reproductive system, but it can also become entangled around flippers and essentially 'amputate' that limb.
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Detail: 'Leatherbacks and Jellies' - Marker/acrylic on plastic baggies, food containers, suspended plexi sheets. With saran wrap, fishing line and lures.
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Detail, install view with Squid Bags - In 2005, I had the unique opportunity to study the critically endangered Leatherback turtle in Costa Rica. The primary food of Leatherbacks is jellyfish. Plastic floating around in the ocean resembles jellyfish, so the turtles eat it and die. The plastic blocks their internal digestive and reproductive system, but it can also become entangled around flippers and essentially 'amputate' that limb.
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Squid bags - 2008 Marker/acrylic on baggies stuffed with saran wrap and garbage.
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