The response to our Science Without Borders® Challenge has been overwhelming! We’ve been blown away by the sheer number of submissions that we received from aspiring young scientists and artists all over the world. Last week, we proudly unveiled the finalists in the 11-14 age group, and now, we’re ecstatic to announce the finalists in the 15-19 year-old category.
These young artists hail from all corners of the globe, including China, Indonesia, Korea, the Philippines, Poland, Singapore, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States. You will be amazed at their incredible artwork and how well they captured the essence of the theme, “The Sixth Extinction.” Students depicted a diverse range of endangered marine animals in their artwork including whales, fish, polar bears, sharks, sea otters, horseshoe crabs, seals, and crocodiles. We were amazed by these students’ boundless creativity, execution of the theme, and artistic abilities.
Without further ado, please meet our talented 15-19 year old finalists! These exceptional artists have not only showcased their incredible talents but also their unwavering passion for marine conservation.
"Bloom Capital" by Franciska Somogyi, Age 18, United States of America
ARTIST’S STATEMENT: Hawksbill sea turtles look over coral reefs and maintain the balance of their food web, keeping the ecosystem healthy and happy, but they might not have an ecosystem to preserve soon. The sixth extinction is rapidly approaching, caused by continuous greenhouse gas emissions from electricity, industry, transportation, and more. This is depicted by the numerous digital billboards picturing artificial coral reefs creating tremendous amounts of carbon while the overhang of the actual ocean is suffering from harmful algae blooms caused by the heat. Transportation is forming an X to symbolize the controversial release of additional harmful emissions. I want my audience to acknowledge and think about things familiar to us, from our transportation, housing, and businesses, to how that affects an ecosystem we might not even be aware of and how we can address the issue.
Stay tuned! We will announce the winners in the next couple of weeks.