Philadelphia - Zoo Art

I am a pretty big fan of both art and animals anyway, so zoo art, so frequently depicting animals, is generally something I like.

These depictions can help us get a good glimpse of shy animals, remember species that have been lost, or give us new ways of thinking about animals and their world.

At the Philadelphia view, I noticed some unusual materials in the sculptures.

 

I wasn't really sure that the they were that different at first, but then some appeared that were clearly repurposing waste into art.

A little research revealed that these were part of a special exhibit, Second Nature: Junk Rethunk. - http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2015/04/08/at-philadelphia-zoo-art-exhibit-turns-trash-into-thought-provoking-sculptures/

Even before learning about the exhibit, it was clear that the sculptures were making a point about waste, and an important one. Zoos have been incorporating more messages about conservation - of habitat and resources - and this is necessary. If we care about the animals, we must care about their homes, and even seemingly inconsequential decisions like buying snack cakes are part of the whole in terms of what happens to habitat.I appreciated this exhibit, and it's nice that the time we happened to be there aligned with its run.

Even when this exhibit is gone, there will still be art there, and it will be art that encourages appreciation of animals.

That includes one statement we completely agree with.