the Edge of the Sea

About

Rachel Carson's Silent Spring is recognised as one of the most influential books of the twentieth century and exposes the destruction of wildlife through the widespread use of pesticides. This composition draws from text from a collection of Carson's works. It explores simultaneous existence of beauty and wonder in the world, alongside the terrible, unpalatable fact that we – humans, who rely on, stand in awe in the beauty of, and claim to control and have responsibility over the world – are quickly and horrifically destroying our planet. The title of this piece, 'the Edge of the Sea', of course alludes to one of Carson's works. But I chose this title because of a future it represents. The edge of the sea of course, is strange and beautiful, as Carson wrote. But this idea of the edge of the sea also reflects our current precarious relationship with our environment: on the edge of an irreversible catastrophe, starting with our oceans, and severely impacting our entire planet.