"SAVE XINGU - A tribute to Casique Raoni"
The Xingu River is a 1,230 mile long river in North Brazil and is home to several Indigenous tribes who's river-sustained way of life hangs in the balance, as the Brazilian government moves forward with its plans to construct several dams and clear the way for mining, logging and oil companies. In this painting, an abstract representation of the Xingu river is fragmenting as it descends into the red color representing the interconnected lives of the Indigenous people with that of the river. The swirling lines represent the flooding of their villages which will result from the construction of these dams, destroying ecosystems and opening the door to further environmental destruction by mining, logging and oil companies. This painting was created to raise awareness of an important global issue, in that one of the main sources of oxygen for the planet (the Amazon rainforest) is rapidly disappearing, but is isn't getting the media attention it deserves. It's also a tribute to the chief of the Kayapo tribe (Casique Raoni) for his life-long dedication to defending the rights of these tribes to their ancestral lands and the preservation of their culture and way of life.
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| 16" x 20" Oil on Gessobord |
