The brown tree snake, accidentally introduced to Guam through post-war military cargo, caused one of the most devastating ecological collapses linked to an invasive species. With no native predators and an ecosystem unprepared for snake predation, it spread rapidly across the island and led to the extinction of 10 of Guam’s 12 native bird species, including the Guam kingfisher, which now survives only in captivity. This piece responds to that destruction through the image of a brown tree snake coiled around a lifeless Guam kingfisher, its body marked by ten distinct bulges representing the species it has driven to extinction. The snake consumes itself, referencing the ouroboros, but here the cycle of life and rebirth is broken by ecological imbalance. Covered in gold foil like an ornate picture frame, the snake both frames and destroys its subject, while the dark background heightens the contrast and sombre finality of the scene.
Product: Wall hanging
Materials: Maple wood, padauk wood, wenge wood, 23.75ct Yellow Gold Leaf, brass
Measurements: 130mm x 135 mm x 25 mm
Weight: 167 g