Anna Segner

Displaced, Diceros bicornis
encaustic
41 x 48 x 5 in.

Dear Earth,

With only 2,500 black rhinos left on the planet, I figure confidently that there are more plastic and toy and décor rhinos on earth than the actual animal itself. The manufactured, plastic animal is outnumbering the living, breathing animal itself. While cultural representations of animals are on the rise, ecosystems are disturbed by human impact, and biodiversity is dwindling. Ironically, as humans long for a wildness that is less and less present in our daily lives, we replace it artificially in our homes. Rhino salt and pepper shakers, stuffed animals in bedrooms, and televisions roaring with animal life documentaries all create a false representation of “wild.” Clearly, humans value animals but have lost touch with true experiences of your wilderness.

© Anna Segner