The Anthropocene Series
Anthropocene:
relating to or denoting the current geological age, viewed as the period during which human activity has been the dominant influence on climate and the environment.
About the project
“The Anthropocene Series is a collection of mixed media work that contemplates the impact humans have had on the natural world. Taking animals on the endangered list as inspiration, and creating their bodies using found images that depict or relate to some of the main reasons they are threatened in the wild; loss of habitat, human overpopulation, pollution and poaching.
These works combine analog collage with graffiti stenciling and bold colour fields, three techniques that fascinate and challenge me as an artist. I wanted to create portraits that celebrate these beautiful animals and my love for them, but juxtapose this with my sadder, deeper thoughts on what humans have inflicted on them. ”
Explore the Artworks
Right, Move
2024
Mixed Media on Canvas – 90 by 60 cm
All the images used to create the tiger’s body are
images of human body parts found in magazines, I was interested in exploring the idea of humans replacing animals, and in this painting, humans have replaced the tiger completely. I wanted this piece to work in two ways, from further away, to be a striking image of a tiger that looks like a painting, and up close, to reveal that the tiger is not really there, and that it is actually partly made of paper.”
Chop Chop
2024
Mixed Media on canvas – 90 by 60 cm
The Orangutan and the tree are made from found images of deforestation and chopped wood.
**I am aware of the ironic hypocrisy of using cut up paper to make a painting about deforestation
Sea Turtle
2025
Mixed Media on canvas 90 by 60 cm
The Turtle was made only using found images of land that has been changed by humans somehow.
(Be) A Good Consumer
2024
Mixed Media on canvas – 90 by 60 cm
The shark is made using found images of plastics and plastic consumer items, and pages from a book of the history of plastic production.
Paved Paradise
2024
Mixed Media on canvas 90 by 60 cm
The Elephant is created using found images of cities, buildings, and human structures, inspired by the threat of habitat loss.
Poached
2024
Mixed Media on canvas 90 by 60 cm
The Chimp’s fur is created using found images of guns, inspired by the threat of poaching.
Night Life
2024
Mixed Media on canvas 90 by 60 cm
The Fox is made using images of bricks and walls, inspired by how some animals have had to evolve and adapt to survive living alongside humans, in human environments.
Pretty Folly
2025
Mixed Media on canvas – 90 by 60cm
This is a critically endangered Blue-throated Macaw, I cut up images of logging and forestry machinery to create the parrot, as its principle threat in the wild is deforestation. In this series of work, I wanted to create boldly colourful, striking portraits of animals, that appear painterly, yet are actually made of an intricate collage of images that all relate to a human made threat to their existence. They are a celebration of their beauty, but also a lament on their possible extinction.
Cow & Calf
2019
Collage on canvas – 30 by 40cm
This landscape scene is created entirely with found images of things made by humans, nothing in this painting is natural at all. This work inspired all the further works in this series.
About the project
“To create these animal portraits, I have a strict rule to use only images that are related to something that is a threat to their survival. I love animals, but when I think about them now, there is always an element of sadness that underpins those thoughts, so these paintings stem from this sadness, even though they are bright and joyful, they are actually a profound lament, that mirrors those conflicting emotions I feel, whenever I see these majestic creatures.””
Chris Swain Art 