The Insect Apocalypse Is Here
What does it mean for the rest of life on Earth?
The current worldwide loss of biodiversity is popularly known as the sixth extinction: the sixth time in world history that a large number of species have disappeared in unusually rapid succession, caused this time not by asteroids or ice ages but by humans. When we think about losing biodiversity, we tend to think of the last northern white rhinos protected by armed guards, of polar bears on dwindling ice floes. Extinction is a visceral tragedy, universally understood: There is no coming back from it. The guilt of letting a unique species vanish is eternal.
But extinction is not the only tragedy through which we’re living. What about the species that still exist, but as a shadow of what they once were?
What we’re losing is not just the diversity part of biodiversity, but the bio part: life in sheer quantity.
Duckweed: A Plant for Humans, Water, and… Well, Ducks 2millimettres)
Artist Patrick Cabral layers incised paper with decorative motifs to create dazzling sculptural portraits of wildlife
written by steamtend 16 juin 2020 0 comment
All images © Patrick Cabral
Imagine the paper snowflake doilies you may have made in grade school. Cutting out points on folded paper and unfolding it to reveal a repeating pattern. Now imagine that, on a 3d scale, and made by an adult with years of experience. Patrick Cabral of Manila has created large sculptures of animals made out of thousands of layers of cut paper. These breathtaking and pristine sculptures take him months to compete, and are stunning in their detail and shape.
The shapes of the paper pieces are not meant to simulate a real visual of the animals skin and fur textures, but instead present elegant and intricate designs. The snowflake doilies come to mind as you view the larger sheets of paper that have been cut for body parts, including holes and shapes that add repeating effects. These patterns coincide with one another and maintain the visual effect of being a complete animal, repeating star shaped patterns on the rhinoceros’s torso also show up on its thighs, calves, and feet, creating a cohesive animal.
