AMY (YUTING) GU

Faustian bargain

ceramic, plywood and synthetic polymer paint

50 x 45 x 10 cm

Melville Senior High School

My artwork explores environmental pollution, with particular focus on the impact of oil spills on marine life. Oil spills have a negative impact on thousands of species, affecting everything from invertebrates, fishes, birds, and mammals, humans included. I was influenced by contemporary artist Ai Weiwei’s artwork, titled Oil Spills, where he asks us to reconsider our values and overdependence on technology and convenience. In exploring this theme, I reference Fish (Still Life) by Édouard Manet and the Faustian bargain to comment on the fate we have devised for ourselves.