We continue, they warn

Sentinel species are, in a way, the modern version of the canary in the coal mine, warning us of dangerous pollution. They are used by scientists to monitor ecosystems to protect our human health – not their own. This installation is a call to take the warnings of sentinels seriously, even if there is no known risk to human health, and invites the audience to investigate their relationship with the ecosystems around them.

The ‘action > warning’ relationship between people and sentinels is captured by having the work respond to the touch of the audience with light and sound. Through the fading materials in the three vases and the time-lapse video, the connection between the pollution that is visible in the moment and the long-term impact of our actions is materialized. Suggesting that even if we can’t see changes with the naked eye, the damage might still be happening in retrospect.