The recent Australian bushfires have left us shocked, saddened and grief-stricken!
The bushfire first began in September and is 46% bigger than the Amazon forest fires of 2019.
Roaring for months, the fires have blazed through more than 25 million acres of land which is six times the size that was destroyed during the Brazilian Amazon fires.
About 2,000 homes have been destroyed, hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced and possibly more than 1 billion animals are feared dead.
More than 150 houses are still burning in various parts of Australia, with heatwaves and high winds fueling the wildfires. Record-breaking temperatures with the onest of summer are likely to contribute further to the fires' intensity.
As per the reports, the total damage and economic losses are expected to exceed $100 billion.
Artists across the globe are using their creativity to paint their emotions and share their heartbreak for the people and wildlife affected by this apocalyptic event.
Amidst political inaction, artists in Australia have been paying tribute in their own way to those fighting the effects of the blaze.
The recent artwork is of local graffiti artist Andrew Gibbons. He along with his team painted a firefighting koala with a hose in Hosier Lane, narrow laneway famous for its street art in Melbourne. Mural art is the best way to express emotions and thoughts that can have a long-lasting impression, no wonder this graffiti is a powerful reminder to support WWF relief efforts.
Melina Illustrate, an artist from Greece has shared her poignant artwork. It depicts weeping Mother Nature holding a koala in her arms.
Image of a Kangaroo stuck in the middle of a burning forest created by an artist is also featuring on Instagram. The image is an attempt to draw worldwide attention towards the ongoing crisis and loss of the native wildlife of the country.
German illustrator, Sarah Heuzeroth has made a cuddly koala with a caption ‘there is no planet B’ to draw attention towards the severe destruction of their habitat.
Cartoon of Aussie ‘crocodile hunter’, Steve Irwin, welcoming Australian wildlife to heaven has gone viral on every social media platform.
Created by Shania-Mae Sturm, it illustrates Steve Irwin on bended knee with his arms stretched out and captioned ‘Don't worry little guys! I'll take care of you!’
Several artists worldwide have also communicated their sadness over this episode of bushfire in Australia and trying to raise funds through their compositions featuring koalas and kangaroos.
Irish artist, Audrey Hamilton has donated 50% of her sales to the World Wildlife Fund Australia bushfire project. Titled KOKO, her artwork featuring a koala bear was produced into a limited edition run of 275 archival pigment prints.
Inspired by the videos of koala rescue, young wildlife artist Emily Rose made a painting of this native Aussie creature and sold it via online auction. She donated the proceeds to WWF to support the animals affected by the fire.
Another artist Heidi Mass from United States is painting koalas and Australian wildlife in her studio in Menomonee Falls with the hope to sell as a fundraiser.
Wondering why most of the artistic creations are of ‘Koala’?
It is true that they are the most-loved and iconic animal of Australia’s wildlife. But, the bushfires have a catastrophic effect on them wherein their population has suffered an ‘extraordinary hit’.
They are typically slow-moving and their inability to run away in danger has left them trapped in the bushfires. With nearly 30% of their habitat been destroyed, it is likely that they would be declared as endangered species.
Wrap Up
These growing crescendo of images from artists world over clearly highlight how devastating the bushfires are and continue to be for the flora and fauna of the country. Using their creativity, the art world has kept apace with attempts to generate awareness and combat the environmental catastrophe.
Australian fires are certainly a harbinger of severe climate change and global warming concerns. But, it has inspired the grief-stricken art world over.
Don’t forget to raise awareness and help!