I recently visited the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. With over 150,000 pieces of artwork, I saw many beautiful pieces. One piece of artwork, in particular, caught my attention. It was a sea green, woven square, composed of discarded fishing net and line.
The artist, Mary Babcock, has several similar pieces in her Salvaged Net series. Her artwork draws attention to irresponsible fishing practices in the Pacific, where her materials were gathered, and in all the world’s oceans. Animals like sea turtles and sharks become entangled in fishing nets both while they’re in use and after they are discarded.
Almost a million people visit the museum each year, and I am glad many of them are able to view this consciousness-raising art.
