Artist and Author Mark Heine is the Edge of Humanity Magazine contributor of this article. From his book/project ‘Sirens‘. To see Mark’s body of work click on any image.
Oil Paintings by Mark Heine
(excerpt) Sirens, the story …
The Sirens manuscript is a work of fiction, in the genre of Magical Realism. Its objective is to examine Humankind’s ambiguous, destructive and undefined relationship with the natural world. My purpose being to inspire reflection and perhaps affect attitudes, regarding that imperiled relationship.
(excerpt) The Premise …
Evolution is not a friendly process. It’s forced on us all. Every living thing has developed this ability in order to survive and adapt to changing environmental influences. There are old souls, the complex higher organisms, whose adaptation has allowed them to change very little over the millennia. And there are the new souls, whose ability to rapidly evolve makes their appearance on this planet, relatively recent.
“But those traits that have led humankind to so rapidly populate the planet are also driving us to extinction.”
Mankind is the latter. Opposable thumbs, a large brain and an over-clocked sex drive would appear to be the traits to have, when considering the size of the world’s human population. But those traits that have led humankind to so rapidly populate the planet are also driving us to extinction. Short term profit is making for some poor choices, when it comes to our long term survivability.
(excerpt) The rationale behind Sirens …
We are the pot and the frog. Place a frog in a pot of hot water and it will jump clear. Put the same frog in a pot of cold water, turn on the heat and it will happily sit there and boil to death. We are that frog, sitting in a pot of oil and the heat is on.
“I believe the next evolution, for the survival of human kind, must be to affect change in global attitudes towards the planet we live on.”
According to the United Nations, the number one threat currently facing Mankind is the worsening problem of global warming and sustainability. I believe the next evolution, for the survival of human kind, must be to affect change in global attitudes towards the planet we live on. This is the purpose of Sirens. There are many denizens, from all walks of life, who are working in their chosen fields to address this problem within the parameters of our existing society, with it complex political and economic systems. Indeed, there are many millions doing their part in whatever way possible, despite the rigors of day-to-day life.
“Silence is not abstention, but rather a vote for the status-quo.”
Governments are not proactive, but rather reactive, choosing only to change policy when their jobs are threatened by the will of the majority, the underlying principal of democracy. To effect the change so urgently required, a strong voice of the majority of citizens is the key. Silence is not abstention, but rather a vote for the status-quo.
(excerpt) The Concept behind Sirens …
The problems we face in moving society towards a sustainable future are daunting. What can one person do to affect the massive change so urgently required? In the process of developing my Sirens project, I’ve come to realize that I am not one voice, but one of millions and millions can’t be ignored. We each have a skill set and we must decide for ourselves, how best to apply those skills to the task at hand. The answer for me and my skill set is Sirens. Art, in its many forms, whether visual, musical or theatrical, is not just a record of our culture, but a driving force. My hope is to employ that force as much as possible, to influence attitudes which can lead to positive change.
See also:
Book and Paintings By Mark Heine
