Issues Facing the Ocean: Plastic Pollution
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Issues Facing the Ocean: Plastic Pollution by Nikki Scioscia
Fine-art Giclée print on Canson Aquarelle 310gsm museum-grade archival paper
16 x 20 Inches
Limited Edition of 50
Limited Edition of 50
Signed & Numbered
Printed with ♥ by Static Medium
Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery
Artist Statement
"In collaboration with PangeaSeed Foundation, Issues Facing the Ocean is my first full-color fine art print series. I illustrated threats to oceanic ecosystems- plastic pollution, overfishing, and warming waters - through portraits of contemporary female marine biologists and advocates. By representing these women in connection with the environments they love, I intend to portray the spirit of the ocean as challenged, yet resilient- and ultimately as the source of all life.
The first print in this series, Plastic Pollution, features marine biologist Elena Mpougas. Brought up on the beaches of South Carolina and the isles of Greece as a first-generation Greek-American, Elena cultivated a deep passion for protecting the ocean at a young age. Two marine issues that disturbed but inspired Elena was plastic pollution in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea and the dire state of the endangered Mediterranean monk seal. As an undergraduate student at the College of Charleston in South Carolina, Elena conducted some of the first local microplastic experiments on fauna and sediment to determine how plastic pollution was impacting the ecosystem as a whole. From sand to shrimp to zooplankton, her research revealed that microplastics and microfibers were present. In 2018, her research aided the City of Charleston and the City of James Island in banning single-use plastics.
Mediterranean monk seals (Monachus monachus) are one of the most endangered animals in the world. With a population of 700 individuals, Mediterranean monk seals mostly inhabit the seas of Greece. As a graduate student at Bangor University in Wales, Elena collaborated with MOm and the Hellenic Society for the Study and Protection of the Monk Seal to carry out a behavioral study on the impacts of boat traffic and tourism on a group of resident seals in Greece. Her study was published in the journal Aquatic Mammals in 2019 with the conclusion that boat traffic and human presence did disturb the natural behavior of the monk seals, with environmental policy suggestions to further protect the Mediterranean monk seals. Despite Elena’s contributions to policy change through her research, environmental regeneration happens when we all come together. Educating our communities, donating funds, attending town council meetings, and voting for the environment are all ways that we can protect the oceanic ecosystems we love."
The first print in this series, Plastic Pollution, features marine biologist Elena Mpougas. Brought up on the beaches of South Carolina and the isles of Greece as a first-generation Greek-American, Elena cultivated a deep passion for protecting the ocean at a young age. Two marine issues that disturbed but inspired Elena was plastic pollution in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea and the dire state of the endangered Mediterranean monk seal. As an undergraduate student at the College of Charleston in South Carolina, Elena conducted some of the first local microplastic experiments on fauna and sediment to determine how plastic pollution was impacting the ecosystem as a whole. From sand to shrimp to zooplankton, her research revealed that microplastics and microfibers were present. In 2018, her research aided the City of Charleston and the City of James Island in banning single-use plastics.
Mediterranean monk seals (Monachus monachus) are one of the most endangered animals in the world. With a population of 700 individuals, Mediterranean monk seals mostly inhabit the seas of Greece. As a graduate student at Bangor University in Wales, Elena collaborated with MOm and the Hellenic Society for the Study and Protection of the Monk Seal to carry out a behavioral study on the impacts of boat traffic and tourism on a group of resident seals in Greece. Her study was published in the journal Aquatic Mammals in 2019 with the conclusion that boat traffic and human presence did disturb the natural behavior of the monk seals, with environmental policy suggestions to further protect the Mediterranean monk seals. Despite Elena’s contributions to policy change through her research, environmental regeneration happens when we all come together. Educating our communities, donating funds, attending town council meetings, and voting for the environment are all ways that we can protect the oceanic ecosystems we love."
- Nikki Scioscia -
Artist Bio
A Brooklyn-based illustrator and designer, drawing is an intuitive language that expands from Nikki's heart and hands. She holds a BA in Studio Art & Communication from the College of Charleston in South Carolina and is currently pursuing an MFA in Illustration at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City.
Her meditative ink drawings and digital work emanate the wisdom of flora, fungi, and the female form. She is inspired by sisterhood, herbalism, dance, and the cosmos. Nikki's intention is to empower her viewers to access their own magic in connection with the earth.
The Story behind Issues Facing the Ocean: Plastic Pollution
Nikki Scioscia
About the Artist
Nikki Scioscia
