For centuries, art has been used for simple and higher purposes. Importantly, it has been instrumental in environmental conservation as artists use recycled materials to make beautiful artifacts. To complete this assignment, I made a decorative table/desk water fountain by recycling various materials, including an old mesh, an old piece of cloth, and old laptop batteries, as shown in the picture below.
However, I also used sand, cement, an electric pump, and plastic tubing to complete the art. In this piece, the mesh fortifies the fountain and holds the mixture of sand and cement in position. The old cloth covers the mesh and reinforces the fountain before applying a mixture of sand and cement. The electric pump acts as the propeller, while the old batteries serve as a power backup. The plastic tubing connects the pump to the top of the fountain. Finally, I painted the fountain gold to give it a touch of elegance.
The art strongly relates to Chief Seattle’s quote, “all things are connected.” As human beings, we have the responsibility to respect and nurture the earth. According to Perry, Chief Seattle believed that man is connected to nature just as blood ties keep families together, and nature is connected to man (527). Hence, all human activities should ensure that we do not alter the nature and the richness of our land for our good and the future generations (Perry 527). We should understand that whatever we do to the earth will come back to us.
Works Cited
Perry, Ted. “Texts by and about Natives: Texts “Chief Seattle’s Speech.”” Center for the Study of the Pacific Northwest, pp. 527, www.washington.edu/uwired/outreach/cspn/Website/Classroom%20Materials/Reading%20the%20Region/Texts%20by%20and%20about%20Natives/Texts/8.html . Accessed 23 February 2021.
