Cotton tail by Louis Masai. New England 2016.
British artist Louis Masai arrived in New York earlier this month to begin his attempt to tackle US species extinction through art his environmental art platform The Art of Beeing, supported by organisations creating a sustainable future including Defenders of Wildlife, Ecoalf, the eco fashion brand, and Synchronicity Earth.
Over 12,000 animal species are currently considered threatened across the world. With nearly one in four mammals under threat in the United States, The Art of Beeing highlights local species at risk and the urgent need to act on climate change and the environment. It is calling for individuals to come together, much like bees, to put nature first. The tour’s website highlights ways to take action and profiles those doing positive work for endangered species.
Masai’s painting of a New England Cottontail Rabbit for The Bushwick Collective in Brooklyn is the first of around 20 murals coming to 12 US cities this autumn. With dozens of species becoming extinct every day, many scientists believe up to 50% of species are heading towards extinction by 2050.
Louis Masai said: “Within the USA’s ecosystems are some of the worlds most endangered and invasive species. As human pressure on the natural environment increases, the problem is only escalating. It’s never been more important to put the environment first and nature at the heart of our decision making. Join us to find out how.”
Charlotte Webster of Human Nature added: “Our vision is a world in which nature thrives. We face a big transition over the coming decade and the time to get creative is now. Art is a powerful tool that can and must be used to celebrate the very best of our world and reconnect with nature. We believe creating a more sustainable world should be both beautiful and enjoyable.”
Louis Masai, who was earlier in New York, is now in Detroit, and will visit Reno, Sacramento, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Little Canyon, El Paso, Austin, New Orleans, Nashville, Atlanta and Miami where different local species will be painted in each of these cities. These will include a Gray Wolf, the Coho Salmon and a Manatee.
To follow the tour progress, Louis’ murals, the species information, and how to get involved go to www.artofbeeing.org
Bog turtle by Louis Masai. New York 2016.
Bees by Louis Masai. Miami 2016.
Grey Wolf by Louis Masai. Detroit 2016.
Author: Fran
Founder and editor of Urbanite. Street Art lover who after the finishing her MA thesis on the Mexican and Norwegian muralist movement in the 1920-50s, developed a fascination for street art and graffiti that eventually led to collaborations with different art blogs, including the creation of this one.
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