Get ready to be inspired! The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation is delighted to reveal the finalists of the 2023 Science Without Borders® Challenge. This year’s theme is “The Sixth Extinction,” and we challenged young artists from around the world to create a piece of artwork that highlights the beauty and importance of a marine species that are on the brink of extinction. We are thrilled with the entries that we received!
Over 1,200 entries flooded in from 67 different countries, and let us tell you, it was no easy feat to choose the finalists. But after much deliberation, our judges have selected finalists whose exceptional artwork surpassed all expectations in terms of creativity, originality, and adherence to the theme.
The submissions were simply breathtaking, and we can’t wait for you to see them. So, without further ado, here are the finalists for Ages 11-14 of the 2023 Science Without Borders® Challenge. These talented artists will leave you in awe with their remarkable creations that bring attention to the urgency of preserving our treasured marine species.
"An Aching Beauty of Africa's Waters" by Sharon Yitong Qian, Age 11, United States of America
ARTIST'S STATEMENT: The beauty of an African penguin speaks for itself. They are not the most graceful, but something about their snowy underbelly, bold neck stripe, and wacky pink surrounding their eyes spark amusement to the audience. But as we admire their charm, we should also think about preserving it. Penguins can live to 20 years, but because of the Sixth Extinction, many don’t reach that lifespan. The primary causes of these penguins' demise are oil spills and overfishing. In this piece, one penguin atop a cliff, and one half-submerged in the oil-polluted water, gaze at each other. The penguin atop the cliff watches his companion being pulled away by a net sympathetically. Perching on the cliff symbolizes the threat of slipping away. If we want to preserve the beauty of African penguins, we must understand what causes their decrease and take action to save the only penguins that’s native to Africa.
Stay tuned to find out who the finalists are from students in our 15-19 year-old category!
