‘Drowning Girl’ sculpture sparks climate change conversation — and more

An eerie sculpture that depicts a drowning girl statue has people talking in Spain — and around the world. The artist, Ruben Orozco explains his sculpture as a climate change conversation starter.

In a local river in Bilbao, Spain, locals awoke to a ghastly sight. The sculpture, titled ‘Bihar’ (meaning ‘Tomorrow’ in Basque) acts as a reminder of climate change. As the tide rises and falls, so does the water that covers the face of the eerily stunning sculpture. The artist who crafted the Bihar sculpture has explained that the enigmatic figure intends to warn the people of today that their failure to respond to climate change could result in a metaphorical drowning of tomorrow’s children.

According to a study discussed in Business Insider, babies born in the year 2020 will live through 7 times more extreme climate change events than their grandparents.

When it comes to artwork, there are always a plethora of ways to interpret a particular piece. The artist’s intention may be at the core. But the beauty of the creative process is that the viewer absorbs the artwork from their own perspective; taking in an interpretation all their own. This adds depth to the piece overall and continues the creative process long after the piece itself has been produced by the artist.

Arthur Benjamin Palm Beach philanthropist and drowning awareness advocate has taken his own interpretation of Bihar to truly represent a drowning girl. The way in which the sculpture was constructed is, in itself, a performative artwork. Installed while the residents of Bilbao were asleep, the drowning girl simply appeared, unexpectedly, when they went out to resume their lives the following day. As far as Benjamin sees it, this is something that can certainly speak to how a drowning incident can occur: unexpectedly, with little to no indication or anticipation of any kind.