An aerial view shows Leonardo da Vinci's "The Vitruvian Man" recreated by artist John Quigley
Let’s face it: all Arctic ice looks about the same. Cold, and white, and deserted. But now, there’s one piece to watch.
John Quigley, an artist who specializes in creating large-scale images on patches of land, has recreated Da Vinci’s iconic Vitruvian Man on sea ice near the North Pole. He was commissioned and transported there by Greenpeace, the environmental group known for its attention-grabbing stunts.
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The organization is trying to draw attention to the issue of melting ice caused by climate change; the amount of sea ice is set to match its lowest level on record this month.
The Melting Vitruvian Man, as the work is called, was made out of wide copper strips normally used in solar panels, on an area equivalent to four Olympic-size swimming pools. Nearly half of the famous sketch figure already looks as if it were broken off or melting into the sea, as a way to symbolize how climate change is “eating into the body of our civilization,” according to a statement issued by Greenpeace.
The drawing will serve as a visual marker as the ice continues to melt and more of the man’s body goes along with it. Greenpeace says the copper will be reused though. (via Greenpeace)
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