“Nature teaches humility and helps us move away from the mindset that humans are the masters of everything and can do anything,” says Dominika Sochacka, author of “Memento Mori,” which won first…
Izabela TrancygierAugust 1, 20223-minute read
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“Nature teaches humility and helps us move away from the mindset that humans are the masters of everything and can do anything, ” says Dominika Sochacka, the creator of “Memento Mori,” which won first prize in the 7R “Warehouse of Art: Young Art for the Planet” competition in the fire tank mural category.
The project, created by Dominika Sochacka, consists of two parts that work together, combining technology and nature. They can function independently, but their greatest power lies in their combination.
Beauty and Devastation
The first layer of the painting uses eco-friendly paints; it is colorful and depicts an idyllic forest scene of flora and fauna untouched by humans. The second layer is applied over the first using luminescent paint. It is only visible at night, after a full day of exposure to sunlight. This layer depicts devastation: the skeletons of dead animals, burned trees, a dried-up riverbed, and felled tree trunks.
I wanted to depict a duality. On the one hand, beauty—an idealized, illustrative vision of nature; on the other, an inescapable vision of the destruction that awaits us if we do not take radical steps to prevent climate change. As humanity, we have already contributed to the extinction of many plant and animal species, and the climate crisis is a reality; it is up to us which path we choose.
says Dominika Sochacka
Memento
The work is intended to remind us that every human action has consequences, and if appropriate steps are not taken to prevent a catastrophe, the future of the world does not look promising.
– Nature is an indispensable part of our lives. It influences us at every turn, but we also leave our mark on it. Nature is also important to me on a personal level, and I enjoy being surrounded by plants and animals. It teaches humility and allows me to distance myself from the mindset that humans are the rulers of everything and can do anything. Nature influences my work, even if it isn’t directly visible in it—I create a great deal in its embrace,” says the artist.
Comment and take action
Dominika Sochacka believes that because art reaches a large audience, artists have a significant impact on society in many ways: on social, political, and economic issues, as well as environmental ones.
It’s very important to me to address current events in my work—regardless of the subject. I hope that by doing so, I can at least encourage others to reflect on these issues. I also try to live in accordance with my own principles. For example, I don’t buy clothes from chain stores, I don’t drive a car, and even on a small, personal scale, I try to avoid having a negative impact on the environment.
the artist states
However, he emphasizes that large companies whose operations have a negative impact on the environment have an important role to play in this process if they do not take environmental considerations into account.
“So initiatives like the 7R competition ‘Warehouse of Art: Young Art for the Planet’ are welcome. Its organization, theme, and approach encouraged participation,” says Dominika Sochacka.
About the Warehouse of Art Competition
The 7R competition, “Warehouse of Art: Young Art for the Planet,” was open to students and graduates of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. Its theme was “Technology. Ecology. Human. Coexistence.” The competition task was to create an eco-themed applied art project in one of three categories: an ergonomic seat, a mural for a fire hydrant, and an eco-friendly 7R gadget. A total of 26 entries were submitted to the competition. The winners’ works are available at7rwarehouseofart.pl.
About the author
Author's Bio
Izabela Trancygier
Regional Manager, Central-South Region
Izabela Trancygier serves as Head of the Central-South Region at 7R and is responsible for the company’s business development in the Central-South region. She oversees the leasing and development divisions,…
