Carl W. Roehrig, German, born 1953
Rainforest Destruction, 2012
This painting presents a large human hand pulling trees up from their roots with scattered trunks on the floor and dark, ominous clouds covering the sky. The storm clouds and rough grip on the trees signifies human ruthlessness in regard to deforestation and presents these actions as horrific. Human hands are carelessly destroying rainforests with no regard to life within it, exemplified by birds fleeing from the uprooted trees. The dead branches highlight what little rainforest remains and serve as a warning that current deforestation practices will eventually lead to the extinction of many rainforests worldwide. Label by Sebastian Rios-Melean