Related projects: The Sixth Extinction Crisis Capstone Exhibition Book

As a world community, we are now facing the sixth major loss of the world's species. This mass extinction is so momentous that it rivals that of the Ice Age. Unlike the past five extinction crises, which were brought on by evolution and natural disasters, this crisis has been caused solely by the development of human civilizations.

This body of work allowed me to apply my skills as both an artist and designer-utilizing a fine art medium to create a piece of graphic design. Through clay I have created human-oriented objects that represent the reasons that certain animals are currently on the endangered species list (or already extinct). I designed decals, which I applied to some of the pieces, a wall vinyl infographic explaining the relationship between each of the pieces on display, and a floor map with additional information for each individual piece. I also thought critically about each object made, questioning how recognizable it should be in such a simplified form (without labels or color as identifiers) as well as considering any associations that could send the wrong idea. Clarity was paramount in my thought process for each piece.