top of page

Tori Clearwater 
Bachelor of Visual Arts Honours  
Dunedin School of Art, Otago Polytechnic 
Human Nature? 
Originally presented at the Animals at the Edge symposium in September 2019
and adapted to written format in August 2020

Foreword: 
Animals for many years have been portrayed by humans in countless different forms, as we attempt to understand, capture and control their presence. In modern times we have begun to question the implications of portraying animals, as we seek to define, dominate and understand them in our human minds. In my work I explore human-animal relationships, as well as looking at the environment and the impacts humans have on their surroundings.

Tori Clearwater 
Bachelor of Visual Arts Honours  
Dunedin School of Art, Otago Polytechnic 
How can contemporary art convey complex scientific ideas and information? 
26/10/2018 
5129 words 

To view the full essay please click  here ->

Foreword: 
Humans have been a driving force behind climate change and extinctions for hundreds of 
years. Since the first steps out of Africa man has been wreaking havoc upon the 
environment. As technology advanced in the Industrial Revolution, populations boomed, 
and consumption and demand went up. As a result we have been pillaging the natural world 
with little thought of the future. Our throwaway society, with its convenience products, is 
raising its head from the waters of our oceans and spilling onto our shores, as global 
warming, pollution, species extinction and ocean acidification begin to show in every corner 
of the world. The alarming facts that illuminate what is happening now and what is to come 
are generally presented in scientific reports and in the media in numerical form, which can 

alienate the individual. The numbers are so large that it seems impossible for one to make a 
difference. I hope to challenge this idea and bring statistics to individuals, using art, 
specifically sculpture, so an understanding and realisation may be reached.  

To view the full essay please click  here ->

bottom of page