Shawn Saumell, TX

We reap the land; we reap the benefits…and we reap what we sew. Of the seemingly infinite number of planets in existence, Earth is the only one known to humankind to house intelligent life. Our planet is a gift that humans seem to have taken for granted. Have unstable habits created an unstable environment? Through global engineering, is natural is becoming artificial? Is nature is being replaced and resynthesized? Has urban sprawl picked a natural brawl?

Each of the pieces are composed of hundreds of photographs carefully composited and seamlessly stitched together. The pieces are then meticulously digitally painted by hand. The inclusions to the landscapes mildly exaggerate the environmental interferences and destruction that humans incur to ironically make life more convenient and profitable. The quality of life on this planet is diminished in order to supposedly improve the quality of life. The serpent is eating its tail. Just as some medicate to help them deal with reality, change their perception, and numb seemingly negative factors; the palette has been changed to candy-coat the environments so that the sense of destruction is desensitized and easier to digest. What a beautiful mess we have made! Is paradise lost?

Resume

Artist Statement

 

Paradise Lost