Natural
Siege
Extermination
“The term Solastalgia refers to the state of emotional distress and
grief that we feel due to the negative changes that affect the environment of which we are part. It was proposed in 2005 by the Australian Glenn Albrecht, professor of sustainability, researcher and philosopher, interested in the relationships between the ecosystem and human health ”.
”Overpopulation, global warming, excessive pollution, logging, droughts and extinction of species are some examples of damaging events that make us feel deep distress because of the degradation of the environment that sustains our lives.”
Solastalgia is a work that approaches the issue of environmental awareness and care for the natural resources of planet Earth, through a dystopian story.
Act One: Natural.
The tree of life floods the environment with its light, its vitality burns in the roots. Everything is in balance. In the sky the Cetus constellation and the exoplanet Tau Ceti e.
Second act: Siege.
The tree is surrounded and harassed by humanity, despite this oppression, its heart remains vibrant. In the sky the Cygnus constellation and the exoplanet Kepler 22b.
Third act: Extermination.
The tree of life is in danger of disappearing, the hand of man threatens to extract its resources at any cost. The home has become hostile. Even in the darkness, the interior of nature struggles to remain standing. In the sky the Pictor constellation and the exoplanet HD 40307 g.
In the sky the constellations act as witnesses of what is happening on earth. For centuries the stars have served as a lighthouse to connect humanity with the idea of progress, inspiring dreams of conquest to prolong human life, even exploring other worlds. Exoplanets that orbit inhabitable zones such as Tau Ceti e, Kepler 22b or HD 40307 g, may seem like an opportunity for future expansion, but from the perspective of this story it is logically a migration, if the plans we have to reduce our damage to the environment have no effect.
This work reveals the drama of a journey of no return, a story in three acts that begins with deforestation and ends in an interplanetary exodus. The tension over the loss of trees and their ecosystems, combined with humanity's indifference is what finally produces Solastalgia.