Art Meets Climate: Half a Face, Half a Future

https://www.saatchiart.com/en-gb/studio/art/12637463/overview

Title: Half a Face , Half a Future
Artist Laura B. Nelson
Measures 60x60x2 cm
Signed front and back
Media: :acrylics on canvas , found objects , paper, glitter , markers plastic peal ,varnished

The piece incorporates wallpaper, acrylics, glitter, plastic pearls, markers, and repurposed CDs, merging textures and materials to create a layered visual narrative. The old CDs, transformed into fiery suns, symbolize planetary wildfires, with their circular forms serving as both burning hearts and wounded eyes. The fiery hues of red, orange, and yellow, applied in an expressive and textured manner, convey the intensity of destruction caused by climate change and human negligence. Surrounding these burning discs are white, radiating lines resembling bursting energy or dying foliage, further reinforcing the theme of environmental devastation.

The right side of the piece reveals half of a face, drawn in an abstract yet emotive style, adorned with plastic pearls—perhaps symbolizing tears or remnants of something once beautiful but now lost. The closed eye, lined with dark lashes, exudes sorrow, while the red lips, slightly parted, seem to whisper a silent plea. This fragmented portrayal of Mother Nature—crying for the state of the Earth—enhances the emotional depth of the piece.

Bernardeschi Nelson’s use of recycled materials, particularly CDs, serves as both a creative and philosophical statement. By repurposing obsolete technology, the artist highlights the circularity of consumption—what was once cutting-edge becomes waste, and waste can be reborn into art. This echoes the urgent need for sustainability, resourcefulness, and respect for the planet.

The composition’s balance between chaos and order—the free-flowing, abstract drips of paint versus the structured wallpaper pattern—suggests the tension between nature’s organic beauty and humanity’s imposition upon it. The face of Mother Earth is only half-visible, perhaps implying that she is fading, being erased, or struggling to be seen and heard in a world consumed by materialism and environmental neglect.

In its essence, the artwork stands as a visual lament for the burning planet, a call for awareness, and a testament to the potential for renewal and transformation through art and recycling. Through this piece, Bernardeschi Nelson not only mourns but also resists, urging viewers to reconsider their relationship with the Earth before it is too late.