"Recycling Kingdom"
Artwork
Grades4, 5, 6, 7, 8Social Studies, Visual and Performing Arts
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Provided by Sea Walls
What it is
- This mural by Rustam Qbic features three children riding a whale that glides through polluted water.
- Qbic's mural is a part of a project to paint marine-focused, environmental murals in Napier, New Zealand.
- Students can read the artist's statement, which explains that the mural should inspire viewers to think about how pollution and waste will impact future generations.
Teaching tips
Positives
- This mural captures the resilient and resourceful nature of children, while also showing the stark reality of the polluted, garbage-ridden world that future generations will inherit if people refuse to make bold environmental changes.
- Students can view a series of photographs that show the artist working on the mural to learn more about his process.
Additional Prerequisites
- Teachers with younger students may need to explain that the dark patches in the water are oil.
Differentiation
- English language arts or creative writing classes could use this mural as a writing prompt. Students could write a short story or poem about the figures depicted in the artwork.
- Art classes could discuss the symbolism in the mural. Teachers could encourage students to think about how the whale, the crown, and the cardboard house might convey messages about sustainability and environmental health.
- Other resources on this topic include this video about the danger of plastic pollution in the ocean, this Khan Academy video on how humans impact aquatic environments, and this video on solid waste disposal.
From the scientist review
The artwork shows the present un-balanced and egocentric nature of environmental degradation by humans. This is a call to take action to achieve our sustainable development goals. The resource is recommended for teaching.
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