Substituting aerosol spray paint cans for digital projections, French artist Philippe Echaroux uses technology to expand the possibilities of street art in his project This is Street Art 2.0. To debut his project, he chose the most unconventional location for street art (and one that has no streets at all), the Amazon Rainforest.
By projecting the faces of members of the Suruí tribe onto the vegetation of the forest, Echaroux reminds us of the horrors of deforestation and the mistreatment of indigenous populations that have been going on for centuries. He compliments his work by stating that cutting down a tree is like killing a man; illuminating social and political issues that are not only relevant in Brazil, but also, all around the globe.
In a beautiful and impactful way, the artist materializes the metaphorical “face of the forest” with images of people who are constantly victimized by deforestation, pollution, and gold hunting in their sacred land. Philippe reminds us of the connection that these people have with nature and emphasizes the need for preservation.
Editor’s Note: We couldn’t, in good faith, write an article about lands of indigenous people being destroyed without asking you to please sign a petition to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline or to ask Obama to make the site a National Monument.
