Cristian Pietrapiana: ‘Roaring Back’, mixed media on paper, 20×16”, 2020 (Detail) – Photo Cristian Pietrapiana © 2021
“More than one half of the world population lives now in urban areas, and virtually all countries of the world are becoming increasingly urbanized.”
-United Nations
“I think there should be efforts to control population. There’s a well-known way to do it, increase the economic level. Coupled with education and, of course, the means for birth control”.
Noam Chomsky, “The prosperous few and the restless many”, Odonian Press, 1993
Scientists have been warning us about new viruses and pandemics for quite some time. Though it may sound cynical these are topics which Mass media does not cover thoroughly or often, due to their lack of profitability. Why give people facts and information, when you can entertain them and encourage them to purchase disposable goods that will undoubtedly end up in a landfill sooner than later.
As a species, one could easily argue, we have overpopulated and are spreading dangerously across the planet. Technology has now made our world smaller, and easier to reach; just a plane ride away.
Heroes
mixed media on paper, 20×16”, 2020
When Covid-19 hit, many countries took harsh measures in order to control, or at least contain the virus within their borders. Here in the United States, it immediately became a political-partisan issue, accompanied by many self-serving and immature attitudes, encouraged by the political leadership. Meanwhile, healthcare and frontline workers were doing more than their jobs, working in unimaginably difficult situations, while exposing their own safety, and that of their families, to a little known deadly new virus.
Beside the tragic fact that the US federal government seemed to be encouraging dangerous behavior, for the most part, it seemed to come down to narratives, belief systems and self-centeredness. If there is a remote chance that one individual can make someone else sick, why become defiant? Who is that individual challenging, a political view or facts? But most importantly why?… We all saw it on every form of media, in the printed news, and in our neighborhoods. People not wearing masks and going about their lives in close proximity to their like-minded buddies; but if any one of us gets truly sick and needs to go to a hospital, we expect and even demand to be taken care of, right?
Pandemic
mixed media on paper, 20×16” Each, 2020
Roaring Back
mixed media on paper,
20×16”, 2020
Climate Change brings an array of erratic phenomena, including new viruses. One basic concept that is taught in Economics courses in High School, is the fact that ‘resources are limited and wants are unlimited’. Whether we are talking about water scarcity, mass consumption or how to behave during a pandemic, it all seems to be connected to the way we capriciously live. These facts suggest that we might want to think about adjusting and modifying our behaviors.
Darwin would probably tell us to read the signs and adapt.
Something that Covid-19 and Climate Change should be teaching us, is the fact that our actions have consequences. At this point, like or not, we have chosen to live in a global society, if we are to remain a civil society, we are not free to act as we please.
We are all in the same boat.
This particular series of work, is based on interventions done on newspaper, highlighting a concept in particular and playing with lines, patterns and fields of color. It is a humble invitation for viewers to read, utilize critical thinking skills to analyze the news, and ultimately draw their own conclusions.
Collision
mixed media on paper, 20×16”, 2020
Originally from Buenos Aires, Pietrapiana lives and works in New York City. His work explores the vulnerability of human nature and its environments.
Pietrapiana has been awarded with the Sheldon Berg Award, was selected artist for the LTA Program of the Guggenheim Museum, the Chashama Residency Program, the Space Program in LIC, selected for an outdoors installation by the DOT Art Program of NYC. His work has been exhibited in galleries and art centers in the US and abroad, and is part of the Pfizer Corporate Collection, the Springfield Museum of Art, and private collections. For the last four years, his work has revolved around Climate Change.
Website: pietrapiana.net
Instagram: @cristianpietrapiana
The MAHB Blog is a venture of the Millennium Alliance for Humanity and the Biosphere. Questions should be directed to joan@mahbonline.org
This article is also part of the MAHB Arts Community‘s “Covid19 Diaries Series”. If you are an artist interested in sharing your thoughts and artwork, as it relates to the disrupted but defining period of time we live in, please contact Michele Guieu, Eco-Artist, MAHB Member, and MAHB Arts Community coordinator: micheleguieu@gmail.com. Thank you. ~