Nevercrew’s ‘Switch’ Elephant: A Visual Metaphor for Time and Awareness
We are skillful in avoiding discussing the elephant in the room: our relationship with the Earth and its natural elements, which are negatively impacted by our actions. This is perhaps the biggest issue that polluting industries and war-makers try to ignore, even as they steal the future from all of our children.
Swiss duo Nevercrew masterfully depicts this metaphor in their mural “Switch,” created in Wuppertal, Germany, for the Urbaner Kunstraum and curated by WupperOne929 and Valentina Maoilov. While their description of the work may seem deliberately vague, a closer examination reveals a call to reflect on pressing issues.
The mural appears to explore themes of perspective, change, and awareness. The glass-domed shape suggests the passage of time, symbolizing urgency and the continuous flow between different states, such as the past, present, and future. The floating elephant with its trunk above water might represent a struggle for survival or the need to adapt to changing circumstances. Elephants are often symbols of wisdom and memory. In this context, the mural may illustrate a clash between the natural world and human-made environments, represented by the quaint town of modern consumers below.
Ultimately, the artwork seems to confront us with realities we often keep at a distance—urgent issues that demand our attention. It invites viewers to “switch” their perspectives and become more aware of the interconnections between nature, human actions, and the passage of time.
No one is discussing the elephant in the room: our relationship with the Earth and its natural elements, which are negatively impacted by our actions. This is perhaps the biggest issue that polluting industries try to ignore, even as they steal the future from our children.
Swiss duo Nevercrew masterfully depicts this metaphor in their mural “Switch,” created in Wuppertal, Germany, for the Urbaner Kunstraum and curated by WupperOne929 and Valentina Maoilov. While their description of the work may seem deliberately vague, a closer examination reveals a call to reflect on pressing issues.
No one is discussing the elephant in the room: our relationship with the Earth and its natural elements, which are negatively impacted by our actions. This is perhaps the biggest issue that polluting industries try to ignore, even as they steal the future from our children.
Swiss duo Nevercrew masterfully depicts this metaphor in their mural “Switch,” created in Wuppertal, Germany, for the Urbaner Kunstraum and curated by WupperOne929 and Valentina Maoilov. While their description of the work may seem deliberately vague, a closer examination reveals a call to reflect on pressing issues.
Other Articles You May Like from BSA:
Searching For Stikman: An Interview With The Elusive Artist
Startling Revelations With Him in the Back Yard
Stikman (photo © Jaime Rojo)
When the D.I.Y. movement met graffiti in the early 2000s in cities like New York, LA, Paris, Berlin, and London, it als…
Photos of 2020: #3 : Brooklyn’s Own RBG
Happy Holidays to all BSA readers, your family and dear ones. We’re counting down some of our favorite photos to appear on BSA in 2020 taken by our editor of photography, Jaime Rojo. We wish each per…
BSA Film Friday: 08.26.16
Our weekly focus on the moving image and art in the streets. And other oddities.
Now screening :
1. Ella & Pitr: Utsira Island
2. Shepard Fairey Paints Fannie Lee Chaney mural “Voti…
BSA Film Friday: 07.03.20
Our weekly focus on the moving image and art in the streets. And other oddities.
Now screening : 1. “No Weapon Formed Against Thee Shall Prosper” Cey Adams, Sophia Dawson, and Marka 27
BSA…
Geometricks Opens – Shots of the Gallery
Here are shots of the new GEOMETRICKS show as installed and opening this evening in Red Hook, Brooklyn at Gallery Brooklyn. These images look so austere and crisp, unlike the wildness on the canvasses…