Diane Arrieta at Rolando Chang Barrero Fine Art
711 Lucerne Avenue
Lake Worth, Florida 33460
786-521-1199
Grand Opening November 21, 2015
. Little Panda by Birds Are
Nice (aka Diane Arrieta)
The science: The Giant Panda (Ailuropoda
melanoleuca) has the conservation status of EN (Endangered). They are also
considered to be conservation dependent; which means their survival is
dependent on captive breeding. It belongs to the order Carnivora, however most
of its diet consists of bamboo. The giant panda lives mainly in the Sichuan
province of China. As a result of land use changes (farming), deforestation and
human encroachment, the panda has been driven out of the
lowland areas where it once lived. The Panda has historically been a target for
poachers.
Panda bears are one of the most cared for species, with
40 reserves in China. It is also one of the most iconic species for
conservation. Not everyone agrees that all the money spent on this species is
deserved. There are not enough natural habitats left to sustain increasing
captive bred populations. Wild panda population estimates vary anywhere from
1600 to 3000. There are approximately 266 in captivity. Estimates are not
confirmed and the IUCN does not feel the population is
stable enough to change their status from EN.
The art: Little Panda represents the plight
of the endangered Giant Panda (discussed above); but also is a symbol for the
fate of humans and the planet itself. The color red is one of the main colors
in the work of Birds are Nice (BAN). It represents the IUCN Red List
of Endangered Species; but also is a warning sign of danger…impending loss of
ecosystem services needed for humans to live comfortably (clean air, water,
etc.). Children are a constant thread in her work. They represent hope for the
future.
BAN chooses to work in vinyl because of the ephemeral
aspects of it. This signifies the fragile ecosystems and how fleeting life
can be. Also having loved stickers since childhood, she states, "Making
GIANT stickers is so FUN!!" (And you can stick them around town without
getting caught!)
Diane Arrieta: Birds are Nice (BAN) is a visual
artist and biologist studying wild dolphin populations. BAN lives in South
Florida. Her work combines graphic elements with various printmaking techniques
combined with illustration, sculpture and video. The work has a style rooted in
the comic book genre, along with strong influences from Robert Rauschenberg.
Birds are Nice has a BFA in ceramic sculpture (Florida
Atlantic University) and an MSc in Wildlife and Ecosystem Health (University of
Edinburgh, Scotland). The main focus of her work is to illustrate the links
between biodiversity (including endangered species), healthy ecosystems and
human health. Children are a reoccurring theme in the works of Birds Are Nice.
Nietzsche said, “The child is innocence and forgetting, a new beginning, a
sport, a self-propelling wheel, a Sacred Yes”. Adults tend to over analyze
everything. BAN’s work strives for the simplicity of that childhood innocence.
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