RAQUEL VASCONCELOS GIVES EXPERT VIEW ON THE EXTINCTION OF CAPE VERDE’S GIANT SKINK

Joseph Gregory Rossano: Vanity is an arts exhibition originally hosted by the Museum of Glass, Washington, USA, which addresses the phenomenon of human-derived extinction, resulting from the often not too positive impact of our actions upon the environment.

In it, the author invites the visitor to engage with 11 examples of extinct species represented in an installation setting, in a plethora of supports – sculptures of the specimens are displayed in jars; drawings are presented following the Naturalist’s tradition; scientific descriptions and a scholarly catalog are provided, allowing for an historical overview; and a controversial, unexpected perspective is provided by obscuring these specimens by human DNA sequences. Throughout the whole exhibition, by taking advantage of a game of reflections and dissimulations, Rossano incessantly demands that we interpret the information about these species and their extinction in light of our presence, forcing us to acknowledge the relevance of the role we play in nature and the range of our interference with other living beings.

The impact and depth of this exhibition have been expanded and consolidated through the publication of its catalogue, a detailed booklet designed by Rossano in collaboration with and a wide range of artists and scholars. Among these latter is CIBIO-InBIO’s researcher Raquel Vasconcelos, whose contribution to this exhibition and publication focuses on the extinction of Cape Verde’s giant skink, Chioninia coctei. Cleverly titled “A Giant Loss”, Raquel’s text acquaints the readers with the environmental, economic and cultural implications underlying the loss of this big sized lizard.

In the image gallery on your right, you can see a sample of the catalogue. Raquel Vasconcelo’s text “A Giant Loss” is available on page 108.

To order the catalogue, click here.

To know a bit more about the exhibition, click here and here. You can also check Joseph Rossano's website.

To read an article about the exhibition published by Tacoma Weekly, click here.