Explorations in the Gray Morality of Conservation
By: Avery Whitlock '15
Advising Faculty: Chris Barnard
I am interested in the areas of gray morality associated with conservation science. This science focuses on the protection of biological diversity primarily through the protection of species and their environments, and the management of human impact upon these.
This interest was sparked by personal explorations in scientific illustration and the field of conservation. The scientific observations and dynamic illustrations of John James Audubon led to my focus specifically on birds.
Similarly vital in realizing this interest were initial studies of motion I created through animation. Animated studies of motion, as fabrications of life, evolved into an interest of how we study living things.
For education, we capture, kill, and display. Opportunities for education come at a cost. For conservation, we remove, relocate, reintroduce, and remodel. Conservation science can be successful in the preservation of biological diversity, but we cannot forget the costs of our successes and failures.
In my art, I hope to bring the gray morality of conservation science to light.
This honors thesis may be viewed in its entirety at Digital Commons @ Connecticut College.
http://digitalcommons.conncoll.edu/arthp/17/
Related Fields: Art