Artist Don Simon creates thought-provoking works focusing on the juxtaposition of nature and the modern world. Simon uses colored pencils and a surrealistic style to speak about the conflict between nature and industry. His subjects include deer peeking out from a jungle of pipes, monkeys making their home at a construction site, creatures of the African savanna in a vast parking lot and, startlingly, marine life swimming around a submerged city.
From his artist statement:
“Throughout history, particularly since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, mankind has been less than kind to our cohabitants on the planet. We build, produce, and consume with little or no regard to the impact it has on the environment. It is the nature of nature to adapt and evolve in order to survive, and we are forcing other species to deal with compromised, damaged, or destroyed ecosystems.
This series of triptychs depicts scenes resulting from our tragic indifference. They are rendered in a beautiful and natural way, highlighting the idea that we find this acceptable. We are numb to the damage — and so, the unnatural becomes natural to us. This may be the saddest commentary of all.”
You can view all of Simon’s work in a slideshow over at Grist or at Simon’s website.
