"Sink or Swim"
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Provided by: Sea Walls|Published on: July 26, 2022
ArtworkScientist Reviewed
6789101112
Scientist Reviewed This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- This mural about sea level rise by Tatiana Suarez in Miami, Florida shows a woman clinging to a palm tree surrounded by the rising sea.
- The artist explains that this piece makes a statement about how the climate crisis is imminently threatening humans and the rest of the ecosystem.
Subjects: Visual and Performing Arts
Authors: Tatiana Suarez
Region: North America, USA - South, United States, Global, Florida
Languages: English
Teaching Materials
Positives
- The image evokes a feeling of helplessness and desperation and is very direct about its meaning.
- This resource provides steps for taking action to reduce your carbon footprint.
- The artist statement includes a call to action and is a great example of how local impacts of climate change are felt.
- The simple imagery and direct message make this mural easily understandable for even young students.
Additional Prerequisites
- An understanding of sea level rise and its predicted rate of change is key to the meaning of this mural.
- It may be helpful to show students where Miami is located on the map.
- Slides 11 and 12 in the slideshow of photographs contain a more complete view of the mural.
Differentiation
- Science classes could research how tall a palm tree gets and how high scientists predict the sea level in Miami will rise.
- Art classes could discuss the symbolism in the mural. Students could consider what the flamingo, the woman, and the other figures represent.
- Students could think about how the title of the artwork impacts the viewer's interpretation of the image.
Scientist Notes
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
About the Partner Provider
PangeaSeed Foundation
PangeaSeed Foundation is a globally engaged nonprofit organization acting at the intersection of culture and environmentalism to further the conservation of our oceans. Its mission is to empower individuals and communities to create meaningful environmental change for the oceans by raising public awareness of critical environmental issues through SCIENCE, EDUCATION, and ARTIVISM (S.E.A.). Through their groundbreaking Sea Walls: Artists for Oceans public art program, PangeaSeed Foundation has created over 400 educational ocean advocacy murals in 17 countries, bringing the ocean into streets across the globe.
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
Learn about our review process →
